


Westward to Pegasus

by Space_AgeScribe



Category: Stargate Atlantis
Genre: Alternate Universe - Western, Angst with a Happy Ending, F/M, Former soldiers, Gen, Hurt/Comfort, Starting a new life, Team as Family
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-11-19
Updated: 2016-11-20
Packaged: 2018-08-31 20:08:04
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 27
Words: 37,390
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/8591800
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Space_AgeScribe/pseuds/Space_AgeScribe
Summary: John Sheppard arrived in Pegasus Valley simply wanting a fresh start after finally ending his military career. He never expected to find a family in the people of Atlantis ... or that his worst nightmare had preceded him. Western AU.





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> Hi, everyone! This is the last story that I am moving over from fanfiction.net. It's also the longest. There will be ass-kickings, lectures from doctors, and lots of sweet team moments. 
> 
> Disclaimer: They don't belong to me but rather to their rightful owners. Occasional plot lines and dialogue borrowed from the Stargate: Atlantis series. I just wanted to place our favorite characters in a new setting and put John Sheppard in Levi's and a duster. Can you blame me?
> 
> Pairings: Some John/Teyla and implied Jennifer/Ronon and Amelia/Ronon, but they generally all play it cool. Enjoy!

The scout in the rocks above watched the man on the valley floor as his two horses slowly pulled a wagon toward town. The man had been traveling for a long time – his clothing and even his hair had once been black but were now grey from the dust.

The scout turned his binoculars to the contents of the wagon. There wasn't much – some pots and pans, a coil of rope, some tools. This wasn't even a covered wagon. His target didn't seem to own much of value. The scout might have considered taking a chance and trying to secure some basic supplies, but he saw the two shotguns, most likely loaded, sitting on the seat next to the driver.

Lowering his binoculars, the scout watched from a distance as the horses plodded onward, their breath visible in the cold mountain air. This man wasn't worth the risk.

The scout settled back and waited for an easier target to pass by.

O~o~O~o~O

John Sheppard sat a bit easier once the rocky ledge receded into the distance. It would have been a good place for an ambush; he swore he could feel eyes on him as he passed through.

Down the valley, next to the river, John could see the town of Atlantis. It was really nothing more than a small collection of wooden buildings with a street running down the center. The backdrop was stunning – green meadows ran along the winding river, and at the far end of the valley stood snow-capped mountains. The one blurry photograph John had seen had not done justice to the scenery.

John grinned. He liked this place already.

O~o~O~o~O

He drove slowly down the main street, conscious of the people who stopped to stare at the new face in town. He knew he must be quite a sight by now after weeks of traveling all the way from the East to get here. In some ways, he was disappointed that he had arrived. He had enjoyed the time alone, away from the incessant gossiping and prodding he had endured back East. Here, he was a stranger.

He wasn't actually sure at what moment he decided to go to Atlantis. He'd heard there were a lot of ex-military men out here, men who had shared the same experiences. No sooner had he received his military release papers than he was pulled aside by an officer named O'Neill who said he'd been out west and thought it'd be a good match for Sheppard.

On his right, John could see a school. Outside, several children clung to a short man with spectacles and wild hair. The teacher looked horrified, as though he would rather scrape the children off than play with them. John chuckled and continued on.

He drew up at the barn behind the town's only hotel, making sure the wagon was secured and his horses had been properly fed and watered. Those animals had been his steadfast companions these past few weeks, and he intended to take good care of them.

After securing a room at the hotel, John made his way over to the town office to conduct business.

O~o~O~o~O

"Good afternoon," a woman said, looking up from the papers she was sorting through as John walked through the door. Her expression suggested that he probably did look as rough as he thought he did.

"'Afternoon, ma'am," he said, ruffling his hair to try and remove some of the dust. "I've come to see the town clerk."

"You've found her, as well as the mayor," the woman said with a slight grin. This stranger wasn't bad looking at all, especially once he cleaned up a bit. She mentally chastised herself since such thoughts were really not her style. "How may I help you?"

The woman, who was tall and thin with dark hair, was friendly enough, but John could sense a steely resolve underlying her demeanor. He sensed that the usual charm wouldn't work on her, not that he needed it in this situation.

"I just arrived in town. I need to file the papers on my claim," he said, handing over several documents.

Elizabeth Weir glanced over them for a moment. "Ah, you're the man taking over the Sumner place. I was wondering when you would arrive."

"Well, the trip out from Washington took a while," he said nonchalantly.

Elizabeth raised an eyebrow. "I imagine it did," she said.

She quickly processed his paperwork and handed back the stamped documents. "Good luck out there, Mr. Sheppard. This isn't really the Wild West any more, but we have our fair share of trouble," she said. "Take care of yourself."

That was one order John planned to follow. "Yes, ma'am," he said, slipping on his hat and opening the door.

O~o~O~o~O

John could hear that the dry-goods store had customers long before he stepped inside.

"No, no, no! I told you, this copper wire is the wrong width! How difficult can it possibly be to write a few numbers down and transmit them with the order?" came an annoying voice that turned out to belong to a slightly balding man wearing clothing more suited to a city back east than the edge of civilization.

"I can't help it if that's what they send me. If you haven't noticed, my suppliers aren't exactly right around the corner," said the man behind the counter. Judging from the patience in his voice, John guessed he had to deal with this customer on a regular basis and had to exercise self-discipline to keep from killing the man. After all, murder was bad for business.

"Now Mr. McKay…" the owner continued.

"It's Doctor. Doctor Rodney McKay. Not that you would know the difference," the annoying customer shot back.

The man behind the counter, a bit shorter than McKay with dark brown hair and a twinkle in his eye, was unperturbed. "Whatever. The point is, I can't readily get whatever it is you want whenever you want it. I'm dependent upon my suppliers shipping in things from back East. If you don't like what you get, find somewhere else to get it."

While the two men continued their antagonistic banter, John wandered around the shop looking at the goods that lined the walls behind the counters. After a few minutes, McKay left in a huff. The shopkeeper turned his attention to John.

"Is he always like that?" John asked, nodding in the direction of the now-empty doorway.

"No, he's usually much worse," the shopkeeper said dryly.

John chuckled. "So how do you put up with him?"

"We don't have much of a choice here. Besides, he is very intelligent – we just don't tell him that. He has managed to jury-rig quite a lot of machinery and technology for us, including getting Pegasus Valley hooked up to the main telegraph lines to the East," he said.

"So no one has shot him yet?" John asked.

"No, but we've all been tempted at some point," the shopkeeper said. "You living around here? You may get your chance."

"Yeah, John Sheppard," the taller man said, shaking hands with the shopkeeper. "I'm settling on the farm that used to be held by a man named Sumner, I guess."

"Evan Lorne … sir," the shopkeeper said once he caught a glimpse of the military-issued revolver in one of the holsters beneath Sheppard's coat. He caught the look on Sheppard's face. "Sorry, old habits die hard."

"No problem, Mr. Lorne. You fought in the war, too?"

Lorne nodded. "Yup, Cavalry. Always did like riding a fast horse. There are a lot of us out here; just trying to put some distance between ourselves and the battlefields, I guess."

John understood that better than most. The more action a soldier had seen, the less likely he was to talk about it. It seemed he was among like-minded folks here.

Both men's tones suggested they should talk about something else. John cleared his throat.

"So, what happened to Sumner? I just know he died, but no one said how."

Lorne grimaced. "No one's exactly sure when he disappeared or what happened because hunters didn't find his body until the following spring. It was kind of desiccated after being out in the snow for so long, but it looks like he might have been killed by the Wraith Gang while he was out hunting or exploring in the mountains."

"The Wraith Gang?" John asked. This was news to him.

Lorne nodded. "It's a band of outlaws that have been plaguing people for miles around. They sweep in and take everything a homesteader has, and they aren't beyond being violent, just for fun. People say that the Wraith Gang even wiped out some of the native villages north of here."

John was shocked. "Hasn't the law been out looking for them? How can people live with that danger?"

All Lorne could do was shrug. "No one has been successful in fighting them. They've just learned to live with the danger and to have a hiding place so that they can keep their families safe. The gang is led by a man named Acastus Kolya, and no one dares challenge him."

At the mention of the gang leader's name, John felt the air rush out of him like someone had just punched him in the gut. They might as well have done so; that one name conjured up everything that John Sheppard had been trying to put behind him.

His worst nightmare had preceded him to Pegasus Valley.

TBC


	2. Chapter 2

Lorne had noticed the shock and suddenly pale features of his new neighbor. The man's reaction had come not during the discussion of the Wraith Gang and their activities, but at the specific mention of the leader. He filed away that information for later, and began distracting Sheppard by filling the order he had originally come in to purchase.

Even while preparing to depart the store, Sheppard still looked pale and was much less talkative than when he had first arrived. Lorne hoped the man would be all right. At least Sheppard was planning on staying in town tonight and not travelling out to his new home until the morning. Although the area had been settled for many years, dangers still lurked in these mountains and distractions could prove fatal.

Just as John was about to leave the shop, a man strode in and greeted Lorne's, 'Hey, Ronon,' with little more than a grunt. This man was tall, even slightly taller than John, and had the most extraordinary hair that Sheppard had ever seen; that was saying something considering the places he'd been. The man's locks were twisted into long ropes that covered his entire head, making him look even bigger and more menacing. John would have stopped to stare even longer, but one glance suggested that this man was bristling with weapons. Seeing as Lorne remained unconcerned, John simply nodded his farewell and ducked out the door.

After he had secured his supplies in his wagon, John headed over to the saloon, hoping for a hot meal before he turned in for the night. Once his eyes adjusted to the gloom of the building, John noticed a tall woman with blonde hair standing behind the bar telling one unruly patron in a no-nonsense tone that she would break his arm if didn't stop grabbing her right this second. John braced himself for a fight even though the woman looked like she could take care of herself. The patron obviously believed in her abilities, as well, as he quickly backed away from the bar, nearly tripping over his own feet as he did so. The woman smirked before noticing John standing just inside the doorway.

"Sorry about that. Some men think they can do what they want simply because I'm a woman," she said, shrugging.

John wasn't going to argue. "It looks like you can take care of yourself," he said.

"My father was a soldier, and he made sure I knew how to defend myself," she said, shrugging. "By the way you're standing, I'm guessing you were military, too."

John just smiled and nodded, getting used to the odd feeling of being surrounded by soldiers but without all of the rules and regulations. "John Sheppard," he said, nodding.

"Samantha Carter," she said, nodding back. "We've got some steak and kidney pie in the oven, if you're hungry, Mr. Sheppard."

"That would be great, Miss Carter," he said.

"Please," she said, rolling her eyes. "Everyone here calls me Sam. I'll bring out a plate in a minute. You go have a seat."

John nodded his thanks and took a chair at a table one out from the corner. Old habits die hard, and this seat gave him a clear view of the bar and the rest of the room, as well as the door. He was probably safe here, but he could never let down his guard.

At the table in the corner sat two men, one of whom John recognized as the man from the schoolyard on his way into town earlier. Both men spoke with strange accents that John could not place. Soon they were joined by Rodney McKay and became embroiled in a loud discussion on some scientific topic. To his surprise, after Sam brought his supper and a drink, she joined the men at the other table and not only held her own in the conversation but was arguing complex scientific questions with McKay that John couldn't even pretend to understand.

John shook his head as he dug into his meal. Already he was learning that he had to expect the unexpected in this place.

O~o~O~o~O

John rose at first light after a night of tossing and turning, his mind plagued by one man: Acastus Kolya.

After a quick breakfast at the saloon, John hitched his horses to his wagon and began the final leg of his long journey. Following the main street to the opposite end of the town, John soon turned onto the trail that Elizabeth Weir had instructed him to take and settled in for the bumpy ride.

As he crested a hill, John noticed a figure walking the trail up ahead. The figure was carrying a heavy load, seemingly with little effort, and it didn't take long for John to identify the tall man with the crazy hair from the day before.

The man moved aside as he sensed John's wagon coming up behind him, but to his surprise, John stopped alongside him instead of continuing onward.

"Ronon, right?" John asked, remembering Lorne's greeting.

"Yeah, that's me. Lorne said we're going to be neighbors," Ronon answered succinctly, studying the man in front of him. Sheppard was a bit on the scrawny side and certainly didn't look like a fighter. The man's slouch and laid-back attitude made him appear almost lazy. The wagon contained only necessities – so he was either woefully unprepared or a simple man like Ronon himself. Sheppard's ease in the situation suggested the latter. Still, Ronon wasn't quite sure what to make of his new neighbor.

"Well, if I'm going in your direction, do you want a ride?" John asked, doing his own evaluation of the man standing beside him.

Ronon's assessment of the man before him told him that Sheppard was a good man and trustworthy. "Sure," he said, walking to the back of the wagon to put down his burden before hopping up on the seat next to Sheppard. Happy to see that Sheppard was prepared with a couple of shotguns at his feet, Ronon settled in.

"Let's go home."

O~o~O~o~O

Despite Elizabeth's directions, John was happy to have someone with local knowledge along for the ride. The two men chatted a bit, with Ronon filling John in with short sentences on the local landscape, the people, and any dangers that might arise. Neither man was a great talker, but their silences were comfortable, and John began to feel even more settled.

The wagon made its way along the track, occasionally passing a cabin or some grazing livestock. The landscape was lush and beautiful, and the air crisp and clean, unlike the cities John had left behind.

"There's my place," Ronon said, gesturing with his chin to the nearest cabin as they rounded the final curve on the road. "You're the last claim at the end; it's about half a mile.

"Who's in between us?" John asked, noticing some farm buildings between them and his farm.

"That belongs to my sister, Teyla," Ronon said, watching John's reaction. He swore the man perked up a bit at that, so before he climbed down to collect his supplies, he leaned into John's space and said in a low voice, "If you mess with her in any way, she'll shoot you. If she doesn't, I will."

With that, he gave John's shoulder a hard slap and climbed down. "Thanks for the ride." he said cheerfully, glad to see that the other man seemed to take his warning to heart. With a grin that he hoped was mostly (but not completely) devoid of intimidation, he added, "Stop by sometime!"

"Sure thing," John said, throwing a quick wave as he pulled away and covered the final distance to his new home.

TBC

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Author's note: This story is not set specifically at one particular time or place, just in the late 19th or early 20th century somewhere in the Rocky Mountains. The war mentioned is a fictitious conflict.


	3. Chapter 3

John's new farm was at the head of the valley. The grass grew in lush, deep green tufts, and a cabin stood within a fenced-in yard. Behind that, a small barn stood which would provide more than enough room for his horses and perhaps a few cows. Behind that stood a lush meadow leading down to an icy stream that flowed down from the snow-capped mountains above. Judging from the size of it, it would be a reliable source of water all year long, and John found the sound of the water rushing over the rocks soothing, almost meditative. He had to force himself to get down to business.

The cabin looked solid enough despite its period of disuse. Someone had nailed boards over the windows to protect the precious glass, but once John had pulled them off he got a good look inside.

The interior wasn't any bigger than a single room of some of the houses that John had lived in back East. Everything was covered in dust, understandable considering how long the building had been empty.

Within an hour, John managed to unpack everything he owned: cans of food on the shelves or suspended in bags from the ceiling, his guitar propped in the corner, weapons strategically prepped and within reach. One of his most prized possessions, a photograph, sat on a side table.

John stood back, surveying his new home with satisfaction. It was small, but it would do nicely. The thought occurred to him that this might be the place where he lived out the rest of his days. Hopefully there would be a lot of them between now and when he finally got a good look at the underside of the grass.

O~o~O~o~O

With Ronon's warnings ringing in his head, John set off one morning a few days later to meet his closest neighbor.

The farmyard was neat and well-tended. Vegetables grew in raised boxes to one side and tools were carefully stacked in a lean-to tacked on to the side of the log cabin. The dwelling itself was small, but John could see brightly colored curtains hanging in the small windows. He knocked and called out a greeting, but only silence answered him.

Ducking around the side of the building, he was nearly ready to give up and go home to tend to his new farm when an ethereal voice reached his ears.

The tune was not one he recognized, but he followed it across the wind down to the river.

Before he could call out to her, the owner of the voice suddenly stopped singing and stood up from the laundry she had been washing in the river. After meeting Ronon and listening to his warnings, John had expected his sister to be a large, fierce-looking woman. Therefore, he was surprised to see the owner of the voice was petite, with glowing brown skin and light brown hair that gave her an exotic look. She was … beautiful.

She immediately looked in his general direction, her stance rigid. At the moment her gaze was wary, but he could imagine kindness in those eyes, too.

"Hi there!" he called, stepping out of the trees and grinning at her. Stuffing his hands in his pockets, John stopped a few feet in front of her. She tilted her head slightly, evaluating him.

"Hey, I'm John Sheppard, your new neighbor," he said, nodding his head in the general direction of his property. "It's nice to meet you."

"I am Teyla Emmagan, daughter of Tagan," she said, still slightly wary of the handsome man with the strange hair who had appeared out of the trees.

They stood in silence for a moment before Teyla said, "I generally do not invite strange men into my home."

"Well, I guess we'd better get to know each other, then," John said. "Me, I like fast horses, poker, and playing the guitar."

Teyla looked at him a moment longer, not letting her amusement show, before saying, "I am afraid I am out of coffee at the moment. I only have a strong tea."

"I love a good cup of tea," John said as she abandoned her washing, and together they headed toward the cabin. "See, we're practically friends already."

Teyla smiled. Life on the frontier had just become a bit more interesting.

O~o~O~o~O

John sat at the table trying to stay out of the way while Teyla boiled water for the tea. Her movements were graceful as she took two tin cups down from a shelf and opened a chest in search of her box of tea. Despite the sparse look of the building from the outside, inside it was quite cozy, with colorful blankets, woven baskets, and animal skins providing a sense of warmth. A spicy scent that John couldn't identify mixed with the wood smoke in the air.

He turned back to Teyla as she set a steaming cup before him. He inhaled the tea's aroma. It was sweet and spicy, unlike anything he had smelled before. While he waited for it to cool, he turned back to Teyla.

"You know, no one's said much about Sumner," he said, noticing Teyla stiffen slightly at the name. "What was he like?"

Teyla sighed. "He was … I think he meant well."

"You think?" John asked, slightly confused.

Teyla looked into her tea. "He refused to speak to me," she said. "He always went to Ronon instead."

"Even though your place is in between the two?" John asked.

"He looked through me as though I was not there," Teyla said, shrugging.

"Do I do that?" he asked, his brow creased in concern. He would certainly never purposely offend Teyla.

Teyla studied his face for a moment, her brown eyes shining with wisdom that John was not expecting. "No," she said finally.

Normally John would have answered with a flippant remark, but there was something about Teyla's bearing that commanded respect. He gave a quick nod, and soon the conversation moved on to other things.

TBC


	4. Chapter 4

It didn't take long for John Sheppard to become familiar with not just Teyla and Ronon, but all the people of Atlantis. He found himself in a strange friendship with one Dr Rodney McKay after the inventor challenged him to a game of chess in the saloon and was shocked to find himself on the losing end. Evan Lorne proved himself to be a friendly colleague who, John realized, he could always count on.

The ladies of Atlantis also intrigued John Sheppard, even if he had found himself never advancing beyond superficial flirtation. People said that Elizabeth Weir was a jilted bride, rejected by her doctor fiancée when she refused to give up her work with the diplomatic corps. Sam Carter was well-liked by everyone but could lay down the law when necessary, which happened far too often in the saloon business. She would smile and joke with her predominantly male clientèle, but she always kept a respectful distance. Some said she was in love with an officer back East, but John never pressed her on the subject.

Perhaps most comforting of all was the sense of familiarity that he found in all of his neighbors, but most especially Teyla and Ronon. Though they all came from different backgrounds, it was almost as though they had been destined to cross paths. The only way he could think to describe their relationship was family.

O~o~O~o~O

As time passed, the neighbors found it most efficient to pool their resources for the big jobs on their claims. The day that John joined Ronon to help him sort and brand the calves born that spring was clear and hot. The work was hard, and by lunch time, both men had shed their shirts to reveal muscles hard-won through many hours of labor. Finally, in mid-afternoon they had finished their task, and John took the opportunity to wander down to the stream and splash some cool water over himself to counter the sun's hot rays while Ronon put away the tools.

After drinking his fill, John splashed some of the water over his back before finally giving in to the heat of the day and dunking his entire head in the cool water. In the time since he had first moved into the valley, he had forgotten about his hair, but now he realized that it had grown quite a bit since his arrival and now flopped to the side. When wet, it got in the way of his eyes, and John found himself having to flip it back out of the way until it dried. Huh, time to decide whether to cut it or grow it out and tie it back.

Suddenly, his senses prickled in a way that had nothing to do with the icy water that trickled in droplets down his back. He was being watched. It came from the direction of a couple of trees near the stream. Not Ronon, then.

John stared openly at the trees. He didn't have any weapons on him, but he could take someone in hand-to-hand combat if necessary. However, his instincts told him that there was no danger. His stance loosened slightly, but he did not relax fully until Teyla came out from behind a tree, ducking her eyes to avoid his gaze.

Teyla hadn't meant to sneak up on her friend. She enjoyed walking along the stream on her way to Ronon's house; it was a longer but pleasant trip. She knew the two men had been working together today, and she wanted to ask Ronon if he wanted to eat dinner together tonight. However, she hadn't been expecting to come across a shirtless John Sheppard cooling himself in the stream en route.

While she had seen Ronon shirtless many times, she rarely saw other men in such a state, and she had to admit that her first reaction was to jump behind a tree in embarrassment. But then she found that she could not help taking a second peek at John. It was at that point that he had flipped his head back and obviously sensed her presence. At first she hoped that he hadn't noticed her, but when she realized there was no escape, she stepped forward, feeling the heat in her cheeks as she did so. John stared at Teyla while Teyla stared at the ground for a few awkward moments.

He cleared his throat but was incredibly thankful that Teyla spoke first, saying the first thing that came to her mind: "It appears that you need a haircut."

O~o~O~o~O

All three ate together at Teyla's house that evening. Ronon did the cooking, claiming that it was in everyone's best interests, and to John's surprise, Teyla didn't argue.

After Ronon headed home to do chores, Teyla carried one of her chairs out into the yard and told John to sit. After a quick salute and 'Yes, ma'am,' he took a seat. He could hear Teyla moving around behind him, bringing her scissors, a comb, and some water outside. For once, the panic that usually arose when someone was moving unseen behind him did not surface, and John realized how quickly his trust of Teyla had grown. Now it was time to see whether he could trust her with his hair as well as his life.

"You do know what you're doing, right?" he asked, only half joking, as she began to work through his hair with a wet comb.

"Relax, John," she said, and he found himself doing just that at her soothing tone.

Still, he couldn't resist. "I don't know. I was kind of thinking of following Ronon's lead. He never has to worry about haircuts."

The sound of Teyla's laugh was like music to his ears. "Somehow, I do not think that look would suit you, John," she said. "You have a less menacing but more … roguish … charm about you."

For some reason, that comment made John quite happy. It wasn't a term usually used to describe him, but he'd take it.

As she began to snip at his hair, Teyla said, "Did Ronon ever tell you we're not brother and sister by blood?"

John couldn't help but sit a little straighter in his chair. "Oh, yeah?" he asked, hoping he sounded nonchalant.

He must have been more obvious than he had hoped because Teyla huffed a laugh and then gave a friendly exasperated sigh that he was pretty sure was aimed at the absent Ronon.

"I was not sure whether he had ever clarified that," she said. John could picture her eyeroll. "He and I … we are brother and sister in every way but by blood. We met after both of our villages had been destroyed by the Wraith. Both of us simply had been trying to rediscover our way in the world, and it was not long after we met that we came to Atlantis and found a new home here. Perhaps the Ancestors meant for our paths to cross. All of us."

The sun sank lower in the sky and the heat of the day finally began to dissipate. John was content to sit quietly thinking about Teyla's words while she snipped away at his hair, humming in her beautiful voice as she worked. John looked out at the meadow beyond her front gate, listening to the sounds of the evening and letting his mind wander.

The feel of Teyla's fingers gently working through his hair made John relax enough to close his eyes. Until now, he had forgotten how long it had been since he had felt the touch of a woman, or indeed any touch at all. Now, Teyla's unintentional caresses made him realize how much he had set himself apart from the rest of the human race after going through so many trials in the war. The thought that this may be all the human contact he would experience for the rest of his life made his heart sink slightly.

After a few final passes with the comb and her fingers to remove any loose hair, Teyla stood back to admire her work. John seemed lost in thought, and Teyla took a moment to study him. His hair was once again as she remembered from when they met. Never had she met anyone who had made messy hair look so appropriate.

"I am afraid that I cannot get your hair to stay flat with just water," she said apologetically.

John quickly snapped his attention to her and grinned one of his cheeky grins. "Don't worry. I've tried bear grease, pomade, and every other concoction you can think of. Nothing makes my hair lie flat." He shrugged theatrically. "I'm afraid it's my burden to bear."

Teyla merely snorted her opinion of his statement and began to tidy away her tools. When John came back out of the house after returning the chair to the table, he found Teyla stuffing his discarded hair into small cloth bags.

"Um, what are you doing?" he asked, not entirely certain whether he should be concerned with the proceedings.

"The smell of human hair frightens animals away from my vegetable patch," she said.

"Ah, so you were just using me for my hair, then," John said, trying to sound as put out as possible while she tied the bags to stakes at the ends of each vegetable tray.

"Perhaps," she said, smiling to let him know that she was joking.

He thanked her and they parted way for the night. John couldn't help but pat his hair a couple of times as he made his way home though the descending dusk.

TBC

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Author's note: The discussion of hair products in this chapter was inspired by a video of Joe Flanigan on YouTube in which he said the hair stylists on another TV show had tried to tame his hair with industrial-strength polymers, and even then it ended up sticking up again within minutes. This chapter is further John and Teyla bonding, but after this we'll start getting into the action and adventure. Things are going to get worse before they get better for our heroes, folks. Enjoy!


	5. Chapter 5

Sam's heart dropped as she watched John and Ronon enter the saloon. Normally, she enjoyed talking to both men and respected them greatly, but today she was the bearer of bad news. From their faces, it was obvious that they hadn't yet received the message.

Meeting them at the bar, Sam tried to smile, but she was pretty sure it came out more as a grimace. Both men watched her cautiously, not sure what to think of her behavior.

With a quick nod, Sam took a deep breath and decided to get straight to the heart of the matter.

"John, a cable arrived last night. We were going to send someone out to you tomorrow if we didn't see you before then," she said. "Your father has died."

John stood in shock for a moment before nodding his thanks. Unsure of what to do, Sam continued, "I'm sorry, John. If there's anything any of us can do..."

It was Ronon who answered. "Thanks," he said before putting a hand on John's shoulder and steering him toward the door.

Outisde in the fresh air, John shook off a bit of the shock and turned right without a word, Ronon close on his heels. Shortly they arrived at Lorne's store, where Chuck operated the telegraph machine in a back room.

Lorne looked up as the door opened. Seeing Sheppard's face and the purpose in his step, he figured that Sam had already spoken to Sheppard. "He's in the office," he said, guessing what Sheppard was here for and nodding toward the telegraph room.

Chuck looked up as he heard boots stride toward him across the wooden floor of the store. He swallowed as he saw John Sheppard appear in the doorway with Ronon standing just behind his shoulder. Both men were nice, but Chuck couldn't help but feel a bit intimidated by them.

"I'm sorry," he said sympathetically as he handed over the short message.

J

Father dead heart funeral Fri

D

Not noticing that he was crunching the letter in his hand, John read the message twice. Looking up, he spoke calmly to Chuck: "Can I send a reply? Just … message received and letter to follow. I'll pay you for it when I come back."

With that, John turned on his heel and walked out. Since Sheppard hadn't looked back, Ronon figured the man wanted some time alone. Standing awkwardly for a minute in the doorway, he and Chuck stared at each other.

Chuck cleared his throat. "If there is anything that any of us can do … I can help him with travel arrangements if he's going back East," he said.

Ronon realized that he had no idea what Sheppard would do – it was all he could do to hide his surprise when Sam broke the news. Sheppard had never mentioned a father or any other family, but he figured now wasn't the time to pursue it.

"We'll let you know," Ronon said, clapping a surprised Chuck on the shoulder. "Thanks."

"You're welcome," Chuck said to an empty doorway as Ronon swept out of the office. After exchanging a few words with Lorne, Ronon headed back out into the street.

Sheppard was nowhere to be seen, and Ronon had no doubt that the man could disappear if he wanted to. Feeling slightly at loose ends, he headed back to the saloon to have a drink and give Sheppard some time.

Walking back into the dim building, Ronon quickly cast an eye over the room to see whether Sheppard had returned. Not seeing him, Ronon accepted the whisky that Sam passed him. "He's around somewhere. Thought I would give him a few minutes," he said by way of explanation.

Sam nodded. They lived in a world where death was always a possibility, and soldiers knew it better than most. All a person could do was keep their eyes and ears open and hope that today it wasn't their turn.

Ronon nursed his drink for a few minutes, deciding that he would accompany Sheppard back East if he chose to go, when a woman's laughter interrupted his thoughts.

He looked over his shoulder to see a confidant blonde woman sitting at a table with a sputtering Rodney McKay.

"Don't worry, they're always like that," Sam said, following his gaze. "That's Miss Laura Cadman. Mr. Sheppard isn't the only one who enjoys baiting Dr. McKay."

Chuckling to himself, Ronon finished up his drink and went in search of Sheppard. He didn't want to ask around as he didn't want to alarm anyone and thought Sheppard would appreciate discretion.

Heading across to the street, he checked with Amelia, the proprietor of the town's only hotel, to see if Sheppard had gotten a room. She hadn't seen him. Ronon and Sheppard had planned on camping outside, but he could see thunderheads building in the distance and thought the man might appreciate a roof over his head tonight.

After arranging for a room, he pondered where else Sheppard could be. He wasn't anywhere near other people at the moment, and the stable didn't have any human occupants Finally, Ronon headed down to the river.

Sure enough, a few minutes later he spotted a dark-haired figure sitting a bit downstream, flipping a coin and appearing deep in thought.

"Hey," he said, slowly approaching Sheppard.

"Hey," Sheppard replied, giving him only a quick glance before returning his gaze to the rushing waters before him.

"You okay?" he asked, happy that Sheppard was one person who didn't need lots of words like McKay. Ronon wasn't good with words at times like this.

Sheppard shrugged. "I'm fine."

Ronon could see that he wasn't, but he didn't push the matter. "You gonna head home for a while?"

"Been thinking about it," Sheppard said. He paused for so long that Ronon didn't think he was going to say anything else. Then, "but I think I'll pass. Besides, this is home now."

"If you're sure," Ronon said, "otherwise I'll go with you."

Sheppard quirked a smile. "Thanks, big guy. I don't think you'd like my family, though."

"Didn't know you had one back East," Ronon replied, trying to appear nonchalant.

"Yeah. Father and brother. Mother died a long time ago," Sheppard said, turning his energy toward shredding blades of grass.

"D is your brother?" Ronon asked.

John snorted. "Yeah. He's probably worried about me coming home to try to claim an inheritance or something. No, my father made it clear long ago that David was the favorite son. I disappointed him."

"Visiting family could give you some closure," Ronon said, thinking back to the deaths of everyone he had known and loved in the village of Sateda.

"Maybe," John said, unconvinced.

Sensing his friend's stubbornness, Ronon backed off. "You going to send a letter?"

"Yeah," John said. "Might as well be a good son and all that. They'll say what they want to whether I'm here or there."

O~o~O~o~O

Two weeks later, Lorne was enjoying a quiet spell in the shop. Sitting out on the porch, he perched in a chair tipped onto its two back legs while reading the most recent edition of The New York Times to reach Atlantis. One headline caught his eye and moments later his boots hit the ground: 'Industrialist Patrick Sheppard dies'.

Lorne shook his head. He never would have guessed that the enigmatic, ever-practical John Sheppard, soldier and farmer, was the son of one of the biggest players in East Coast society and had grown up in the lap of luxury.

"Never do anything halfway, do you, Sheppard?" he muttered to himself with a laugh. Without a word to anyone, he turned to the world news and read on.

TBC


	6. Chapter 6

John didn't pay much attention to the calendar as the winter darkness set in. He was no longer a soldier but a man with a warm cabin, so he did not have to look at the snow and ice with the same trepidation these days. The summer's harvest was in and supplies had been bought in Atlantis. There would be enough to see him through the winter, with a bit extra. His days settled into a comfortable routine of indoor and outdoor work and hunting with Ronon. He often visited his friends, and on the nice evenings they would gather in Teyla's cabin, by far the coziest, and he would teach Ronon to play guitar while Teyla told the stories of her people. It all passed so pleasantly that John was surprised when Teyla mentioned that Christmas was the following week and that they should go into town.

"Everyone from Pegasus Valley gathers there for the holiday," she informed him.

John raised an eyebrow. He'd never heard of a community coming together in this way before. "Even Ronon?" he asked.

"Even Ronon," Teyla confirmed, "although he pretends to wish otherwise."

Back when he was growing up, Christmas meant that the family made a conspicuous appearance at midnight mass so his father could demonstrate his piety in front of the entire community. John was not a praying man, but he had enjoyed the candle light and hymns of the Christmas service. Unfortunately, Christmas behind the closed doors of home was dark and miserable, as his father ignored him after his mother passed away. He ended up spending many of his holidays in the kitchen, watching the cooks prepare the main meal.

Even as an adult, he was often on duty far from home over the holiday, and since leaving the military, he hadn't marked the occasion with more than an extra glass of whiskey over a roast dinner he cooked for himself. Christmas didn't mean much to him these days.

He was surprised at Teyla's enthusiasm for the occasion. Atlantis was one of the few communities in the territory that didn't have a church, and even then Teyla and Ronon worshiped the Ancestors.

Even without knowing about the community celebration, John Sheppard had bought Christmas presents for the first time in years. For Ronon, he had managed to order a knife with an intricately-carved bone handle from a catalogue back East. It seemed the man could never have too many knives, so John felt safe in his choice. He had contemplated getting Teyla some more tea, but had finally settled on a necklace that he had seen several native women wear. John couldn't help but feel a sense of satisfaction in having a family to buy gifts for again.

Christmas Day dawned cold and clear, perfect for their trip. Rising as soon as it was light, John hitched his horses to his sleigh, a contraption that Rodney had designed to convert his wagon for the winter snows. He met Ronon and Teyla at her cabin, where they filled the sleigh with blankets and animal skins for warmth. For once, Teyla was not bothered that Ronon wished to ride next to John with the shotgun. Instead, she burrowed down under the covers with hot stones wrapped in cloth warming her feet. John and Ronon arranged similar stones by their feet, and then they were off.

The trip to town took slightly longer than it did during the summer because of the snow, but the sleigh worked well and by lunchtime they were bedding down the horses in the stable in Atlantis. The hotel was full except for one room. John offered to bed down in the stall with the horses ("Just like Jesus!" he had joked), but Teyla and Ronon would have none of it, and an extra bedroll emerged. John considered it a victory that he convinced Ronon to take the other bed while he slept on the floor.

Knowing they would be out for the night, John presented Ronon with his knife as soon as they were settled in the hotel. John was pleased to see Ronon admiring the carving, tracing the delicate lines with his finger when not testing the sharpness of the blade. In return, Ronon gave him a new leather holster that he had made to replace John's tattered military-issued one.

Sensing their friend had plans of how he wanted to spend his precious time in town, John and Teyla shared a smile and practically pushed Ronon out the door once he had opened his gifts. John tried not to laugh at the eagerness in Ronon's steps as he swiftly made his way downstairs to the hotel office in search of Amelia. Sitting down again on the room's two beds, John shyly pulled Teyla's gift out of his coat pocket.

Teyla gasped as she carefully unwrapped the package to find a necklace. "John, this is exactly like a necklace I lost many years ago."

John shrugged. "I saw a few women wearing necklaces like these when that trading group came to town a few months ago. I guess it reminded me of you."

"It is wonderful. Thank you, John," Teyla said, handing him the necklace and lifting her hair. He took a moment to fasten the clasp, inhaling the smell of her hair and allowing his fingers to trail along her shoulders as he pulled back. Teyla touched the necklace again, and John was quite pleased with his purchase.

As the sun dipped low in the sky, they gathered up Ronon and Amelia and headed across the street to Sam's saloon, where the community would gather. John was surprised to see that the place was already brimming with people, and even more so when Rodney waved him over to the corner table which he, Zelenka, and Dr Beckett had managed to fend off from all comers. The others slid around the table.

"Thank God!" Rodney said. "I was afraid I'd have to sit with some of these miserable excuses for humanity instead."

John raised an eyebrow. "Merry Christmas to you, too, McKay."

"Ach, don't mind him. You know how he gets," Carson said, raising his whisky. "Merry Christmas to all of you."

Ronon and Teyla pushed through the crowd toward the bar for drinks, and John scanned the room. It seemed everyone in Pegasus Valley was packed into the saloon tonight. Already the air was stuffy, but the occupants were full of good cheer and the room was filled with voices and laughter. Mr Lorne was speaking to Chuck and Mr Grodin, the town's banker, while Elizabeth Weir was helping Sam behind the bar, and Amelia was speaking to the timid Japanese woman named Miko.

John leaned in toward Carson, hoping to be heard over the din. "Why are there so many people here? Doesn't everyone want to be home celebrating?"

Carson shook his head. "That's the thing about Atlantis. Most of us here don't have anywhere else to go. This is home for these people."

John sat back and watched the crowd. Maybe that's why, for the first time in his life, he felt like he belonged. It didn't matter who his father was or how much money he had. Instead, people judged only his personality, his actions and his ethics. He had nowhere else to go, and it was so refreshing to be surrounded by people who accepted him as he was, rather than demanding that he change himself to fulfill social expectations.

Shortly after Teyla and Ronon returned with the drinks, a loud whistle instantly brought all conversation to a halt. John looked over to see the energetic blonde who enjoyed hassling McKay as much as he did climb off the chair, her mission accomplished. Voices at the front drew his eyes forward again.

Elizabeth Weir stood on a chair behind the bar, ready to open the proceedings for the evening.

"Thank you all for coming tonight. Once again, we have had a successful year, and our community is stronger for it. So let's give thanks tonight to whichever god or gods you worship for all of our blessings this year…" John was slightly surprised when Teyla turned back to him and smiled at this," …and hope for all the best in the coming year. Merry Christmas, everyone!"

Everyone in the room raised a glass and echoed the sentiment. Before the conversations around the room could regain momentum, the kitchen doors slammed open and people began streaming out with plates of roasted meat and steaming bowls of potatoes and vegetables. People began lining up for the food, and John marveled again how much both Ronon and Rodney could eat.

Not long after they finished eating, he was surprised to see Rodney walk up to the piano in the corner and begin playing with relatively little fanfare. In contrast to his usual loud arrogance, he played the piano with quiet precision. Soon someone else with a violin joined Rodney up front, and together they played the classical music like John was used to hearing at social gatherings back East. But here, there was a lack of pretension, and he found himself actually enjoying the music that he normally associated with inane conversations and flirtatious debutantes.

Rodney then launched into some Christmas songs. Teyla was eventually convinced to join Rodney, and John was pleased to hear her sweet voice carry through the room.

Eventually the quiet strains of 'Silent Night' began, and Teyla's voice floated through the quiet room. The first verse ended quietly, but only a few notes into the second verse, another voice from the audience joined in.

Soon the entire room was filled with a chorus of voices.

After that, the music turned to more upbeat fare, and Teyla returned to the table to great applause, blushing as she retook her seat amongst her friends. John took a moment to sit back and let the atmosphere wash over him. The saloon was warm and cozy, and everyone was full of good cheer. He was full of good food and drink, and at this moment he could think of no place in the world he would rather be than sitting at this table, surrounded by his friends in his new home.

As Sam and Elizabeth glanced over in his direction, he raised his glass in a salute to their efforts and a silent wish of Christmas cheer.

TBC

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Up next: Peril, and not just a little bit of peril.


	7. Chapter 7

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I've finally figured out how to italicize text. Hooray!

Ronon had been pleased to discover that Sheppard made a good hunting companion when Teyla could not be there. Sure, the man didn't move as silently as Ronon and his shot wasn't quite as good, but he knew when to stay quiet and could hit a moving target. Not bad for an Eastern boy, Ronon mused.

Their first day had not gone as well as hoped, only scoring the pair a couple of rabbits. They savored one for dinner, saving the pelt for later trade.

The two men bedded down at the entrance of an abandoned mine to escape the rain showers that developed in the early evening.

Ronon wrapped himself in his skin coat and was snoring within minutes. John, however, had trouble sleeping despite the rigors of the day. He dozed, waking up periodically, but he felt on edge. Finally, he got up and walked to the entrance for some fresh air.

John stared out into the blackness of the night, finding the sound of the rain soothing. Morning should be here soon. He shivered slightly as cool air blew up through the mine tunnels, so he moved a little closer to the small fire they had built. Although it had been raining all night, there was no sign of it letting up. If anything, the noise seemed to increase.

O~o~O~o~O

Teyla stood just outside her front door, the first pink rays of the sun glowing on the horizon. Something had awakened her, but she was not sure what it was. The valley seemed quiet today, too quiet. On both sides, Ronon and John's cabins stood silently, their occupants off hunting in the mountains. Normally Teyla would have joined them, but yesterday she had had a headache and had begged off this hunting trip.

Something was wrong. Teyla studied her surroundings, trying to figure out what had her feeling so uneasy now. But no matter how hard she tried, there was no noise or smell that was out of place.

Taking a deep breath, she closed her eyes and breathed deeply. She turned all of her senses outward, sending them toward the mountains where her brother and her friend had gone.

Suddenly, her eyes snapped open and she began running down the road that went past Ronon's cabin.

O~o~O~o~O

Ronon woke to a cacophony of noise and confusion.

Before he was even awake, he knew something was wrong. The ground shook and rumbling filled his ears. As he tried to stand, something fell, hitting him in the back of the legs and dropping him back down to the ground. Groping for his gun, he kicked back at whatever had knocked him down only to discover that it was one of the wooden beams that supported the ceiling.

Suddenly, everything fell silent.

Dust and debris filled the air, choking Ronon as he took in his surroundings. He pulled his collar up over his nose and mouth, hoping to filter out the worst of the dust. Gradually the air cleared. Somehow, the fire remained lit, receiving oxygen from the mine below. Looking around, Ronon realized that it didn't look as though they were under attack; rather, something had collapsed. He was confused. Both he and Sheppard had taken a look around before setting up camp. The entrance to the mine had appeared to be perfectly stable.

It was then that he realized that he hadn't heard from Sheppard. His bedroll was empty; perhaps he had been outside when the roof collapsed. Good, Sheppard could go for help. His gut clenched a moment later, however, when he saw familiar spiky hair sticking up from behind a beam near the entrance.

Ronon called his friend's name, but Sheppard didn't move.

O~o~O~o~O

_John Sheppard sat at the table, pouring wine from a jug into two tin cups. He chuckled: if only the high society types from back East could see him now. They could never comprehend drinking anything but the best imported French wines out of exquisite glasses._

_He sighed in contentment. The cabin was closed up for the night, the howling wind outside a distant thought. The fire cast a warm glow over the room. It was quiet save for the pattering of rain against the small windows and the quiet movements of someone humming softly behind him as they moved dishes._

_A plate of food appeared before him, and he smiled his thanks at Teyla. Her face was equally radiant, and a moment later she joined him at the table with her own plate of food._

_John dug in. "This is fantastic," he said. "Did you cook this?"_

_"_ _Of course," Teyla said._

_They ate in companionable silence for a few minutes. John swept up the remaining gravy with a piece of bread while Teyla delicately held her mug of wine._

_They smiled at each other across the table. Teyla gave voice to his thoughts: "I cherish these times, when it is just you and me."_

_He couldn't agree more._

_"_ _John, I wanted to thank you," she added._

_John smiled. She never had to thank him. It was his pleasure. But this time he wasn't exactly sure what he had done to deserve her thanks._

_"_ _For what?" he asked._

_"_ _For saving me – all of us – from the Wraith," she said matter-of-factly._

_John chuckled uneasily. Something wasn't right._

_"_ _That's funny. I don't remember that," he said, looking down at his own mug._

_"_ _Of course not. You didn't rescue them, just like you didn't rescue me," said a man's voice._

_John's head shot up. Holland sat before him, as dirty and beaten-up as the day John found him wounded on the battlefield._

_"_ _No!" John gasped. He turned and stared into the fire, trying to figure out what was going on. But he was quickly distracted by a sharp pain in his side. He reached down, his fingers coming away sticky with blood. How had that happened?_

_Raising his eyes again, he distantly registered the smell of smoke and dust in the air. Gasping, he turned to look for Teyla. They needed to get out of there._

John Sheppard came awake with a start. His gasp caused him to inhale dust that still floated through the air. The resulting coughs caused unimaginable pain in his side, and he soon passed out again.

Ronon watched helplessly. He had been clearing debris away from around his friend when Sheppard had suddenly awakened. Relief flooded through him as his friend returned to consciousness. If he was conscious, he was alive. But that hope quickly turned to helplessness again as he watched Sheppard cough, obviously in great pain and unaware of his surroundings. It was almost a blessing when the dark-haired man passed out again.

There was little he could do, so Ronon continued to move fallen beams and rocks as best he could. But try as he might, he couldn't move the wood that was pinning Sheppard to the ground.

He took another look around the man. A splintered piece of wood was stuck in Sheppard's side. John's face was pale, with a trickle of blood coming out of the corner of his mouth, probably from the coughing. That wasn't a good sign. Ronon reached forward to wipe some dust from his friend's face, hoping that his pale features merely came from the debris in the air. Unfortunately, John's skin beneath the layer of dust was just as ashen.

Sheppard's second return to consciousness was much calmer, but Ronon was unsure whether or not that was a good thing. Already, his friend seemed weak and slightly confused.

"Hey, buddy," he said, moving himself into John's line of sight.

"Hey," John whispered back, trying to fight back a new bout of coughing. "What happened?"

"Ceiling collapsed," Ronon said succinctly. "There's a lot of debris at the entrance. It might have been caused by a landslide."

John sighed. "I should have seen this coming. The steep slope and all of the rain ..."

"You can't predict everything," Ronon told him.

"I know, but I led troops. They trusted me to keep them safe. I should have noticed," John said with frustration in his voice.

"Well, we've got food, water, fire, and air," Ronon said. "We just need to get you clear and then we'll sit tight until someone comes for us."

John knew that he was in trouble and that help might be a long time in coming.

Ronon dug some bandages out of his bag, glad now that he had allowed Teyla to badger him into carrying them in his pack. Without a word to John, he knelt down next to John and yanked the shard of wood out of Sheppard's side.

Ronon felt the other man stiffen as pain overwhelmed him. Looking up briefly, he saw that the other man's eyes were wide open, staring at nothing, breathing in pained gasps. His mouth was open in a silent scream. Burying his emotion, Ronon used the opportunity to secure one of the bandages to staunch the bleeding before it got any worse.

"What was that?" John finally croaked.

"Just a scratch," Ronon said nonchalantly, wanting to keep the other man calm. He could tell that Sheppard didn't believe him but was playing along.

Now that Sheppard was awake and could move his own limbs, Ronon managed to free his right arm from beneath a beam, but his friend was still pinned in an awkward reclining position between two roof supports. Still, Ronon mused, they were both lucky enough to be alive.

There was no way to mark the passage of time. John slipped in and out of consciousness, his voice weaker each time he spoke. Finally, John said out loud what they had both been thinking.

"What you need to do is find another way out through the mine, then go get help," he told the younger man.

"We'll leave together," Ronon said as he contemplated which stone to remove next from the blocked doorway.

"Wrong way, Chief," John said quietly as he watched Ronon continue trying to clear the blocked entrance. He desperately wanted the Satedan to get out of harm's way. There was no sense in both of them dying here. "Go, and come back for me."

Ronon still refused to give in to John's pleas. Finally John closed his eyes. He was tired. The pain was overwhelming. He wasn't sure that he was getting out of this one alive.

The pang in his heart at that thought surprised him. For the first time in a long time, he realized, he had something to live for. His cabin was small, but it was home. He'd found family and friends, as well as a purpose in his life.

His thoughts turned to his strange dream, which he realized now was a result of his injury. Ignoring the twisted ending, he focused on the opening scene: the warmth of the fire, the taste of the food, the coziness of the entire scene. It was a peace he had not known in many years.

But the more he thought about it, the more he realized that the element that made that scene so perfect - was Teyla. Without her warmth and compassion nearby, life was colder. Why had it taken him this long to realize that Teyla Emmagen had secured a lifelong place in his heart?

He couldn't die now.

TBC


	8. Chapter 8

Teyla sat huddled on a cold wooden stool. The shack was hardly larger than an outhouse, and all she could do for now was wait. Taking a deep breath, she tried to calm herself but found that for once, she was unable to do so.

The rescue party from Atlantis would be here as soon as they could. Rationally, Teyla knew that it would take time to gather people and supplies and travel the several miles from Atlantis to where she sat at the far end of Pegasus Valley. Unfortunately, she wasn't sure how much time they had.

From a young age, Teyla was aware that she had a gift. Like others of her people, the Ancestors had granted her the ability to detect danger, to see in her mind moments which might forewarn her about dangers ahead. It had served them well on many occasions, giving the Athosians advanced warning of raids or natural disasters.

But Teyla could never forget that this gift ultimately had failed to help her save her people. After the slaughter of the Athosians at the hands of the Wraith Gang, Teyla rarely used her gift of insight. Still, she found herself practicing her skills more and more often these days as her friends and neighbors in Pegasus Valley become more precious to her.

This morning, the Ancestors had told her that something was wrong. Focusing her thoughts, she had known instantly that Ronon and John were in trouble. There were rocks and trees, and so much dirt and dust...

Her heart had clenched in fear at the images. Last night it had been raining heavily, and she was almost certain that Ronon would have set up camp in the abandoned mine in the mountains above Pegasus Valley. It must have been a landslide.

She had flown down the road to the makeshift telegraph shack that had been built only recently as part of Rodney's communications system, put in place in anticipation of a Wraith attack on Atlantis.

She had desperately sent a message using the paper listing Morse code, adding a special code at the end to authenticate her identity. The subsequent wait had been agony. After what seemed like hours but was probably minutes, she had received a return message acknowledging receipt and assuring her that help was on the way.

She was so relieved that she nearly wept.

Finally, she could hear the distant pounding of hooves. She burst out of the communications shack, hoping the movement would help to alleviate the shaking in her limbs. Clutching her shawl around her, she watched as a crew of half a dozen men led by Evan Lorne pulled up in front of her.

If John and Ronon were truly buried under a landslide, they would need more then six men. But before she could open her mouth, Lorne spoke.

"Dr. McKay and Sam are following with a wagon-load of supplies and the rest of the volunteers," he said, taking in her worried expression. "Don't worry, ma'am. We'll get them out."

At this point, Teyla realized that she had raced out of her cabin early that morning and was not dressed to travel into mountains.

As if reading her mind, Carson rode forward and extended his hand. "Here, love. Let's go get you ready."

Lorne nodded his assent and set about organizing the men. "We'll meet you at the base of the path heading up."

Teyla and Carson quickly rode to her claim. The doctor politely waited outside while Teyla changed into more suitable clothing. She let him in as she raced around the cabin, gathering supplies for the endeavor ahead. She was nearly manic with worry when Carson placed a soothing hand on her arm.

"I know you are worried, Teyla, but panic won't help Ronon and Mr. Sheppard. We _will_ find them. We won't stop until we do," he told her.

Teyla found Carson's accent soothing. She fought back the tears that threatened to spill as she thought about her brother and friend. If they were injured, each minute they stood here must seem a lifetime to them.

Carson saw Teyla's battle for control and enveloped her in a hug. Teyla was an incredibly strong woman and Carson held tremendous respect for her. But everyone was entitled to a moment of emotion. He gave what comfort he could.

"Come along now," he said a moment later. "The others will be waiting."

Teyla picked up her shotgun and supplies and followed Carson out to his horse. They rejoined the other Lanteans where the path began to ascend into the mountains. Teyla was grateful for such good neighbors and friends. Together, they would bring her friends home.

O~o~O~o~O

The rescue party headed directly to the mine. The horses had a difficult time on the muddy ascent, so Teyla and Lorne scouted ahead on foot. As soon as they reached the site of the mine, Teyla knew that her instincts had been correct.

It looked like the entire hillside had come down to rest just a little farther down slope. The entrance to the mine was marked by a couple of beams of wood sticking up through the debris. Thankfully it was at the edge of the landslide, but there would be plenty of stones, trees, soil to move before they could get to the trapped men.

For his part, Lorne was glad that there were so many educated people in Atlantis. Between McKay, Sam, and Zelenka, their engineering expertise would be enough to safely open up a rescue tunnel.

Together Teyla and Lorne began clearing away loose debris as they waited for the others to catch up. On a whim, Lorne used a rock to tap against one of the protruding beams. Both held their breath. A moment later, they could dimly hear an answering tap.

Lorne and Teyla looked at each, whooping and laughing. The knowledge that someone was alive under there spurred them on.

Carson and Bates came through a moment later, leading some of the horses while the others assisted the engineers in bringing up the rest of the equipment. They worried that perhaps Lorne and Teyla merely sought false hope, but a repeat performance of tapping soon had everyone working as fast as they prudently could.

TBC

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Will they be in time? Will anyone shoot Rodney as he orders them around? Stay tuned...


	9. Chapter 9

Ronon had been sitting, taking a break while he contemplated his next move to get both himself and Sheppard out of here. There was quite a lot of dirt and even a few tree branches blocking the way, further convincing Ronon that it had been a landslide.

The Satedan was staring absently at the debris, plotting a course of action, when suddenly he could see and vaguely hear vibrations coming along one of the beams that disappeared into the debris above.

On a whim, he tried pounding back with his fist. Feeling that it had little impact, he picked up a nearby stone and began hitting the beam in earnest.

Closing his eyes and straining his hearing, he was pretty sure that he could hear shouting. He smiled.

"We sure they're friendlies?" murmured John.

Ronon turned back to Sheppard. The man had been out for a while now, so Ronon was surprised that he had noticed the exchange.

"Either way, they're getting us out of here," he said.

John shivered. "Not sure that's a good thing if they're Wraith."

"I doubt they'd spend the energy to dig us out if they were Wraith," Ronon replied, both men clinging to that logic. Seeing Sheppard's shiver, Ronon tucked his deerskin coat around him as best he could.

Shaking off his own chill, Ronon went back to work, determined to aid their rescuers in any way possible. Of course, it wouldn't hurt to have his gun at the ready once they broke through...

O~o~O~o~O

Dressed in trousers and a work shirt, Sam took the lead in directing men and equipment around the site, while Radek and Rodney oversaw construction of supports and levers.

"What are you doing, trying to bury them deeper?" McKay asked one group as the removal of debris destabilized an area further up the slope. Several of the men from the town rolled their eyes but followed Rodney's instructions.

A short ways away, Radek and Lorne fell into a similar routine of friendly antagonism. Doing what she could by hand, Teyla smiled as she watched all of the Lanteans work together. She knew Ronon and John would enjoy listening to the sharp retorts flying back and forth; knowing John, he'd be giving as good as he got.

Her smile faded a bit. She didn't know whether both of her friends were still alive, or even who had been pounding on the beam. For now, she would place her trust in the Ancestors and the people of Atlantis that all was well until she saw otherwise.

O~o~O~o~O

People were getting closer. Their voices were muffled by the overlying dirt, but Ronon was pretty sure they were familiar. Still, when Ronon got the order to stand back as far as possible so they could break through, he went to sit by Sheppard with his sidearm drawn. Sheppard weakly asked for his own pistol, Ronon reaching under a fallen beam to retrieve it from John's thigh holster.

"It's been a pleasure," Sheppard said, his eyes focused on the noise just beyond the pile of debris.

Not one for being sentimental, Ronon merely rumbled, "Same."

A hole opened in the wall before them and sunlight suddenly poured into the dark cavern. Both men let out a huge sigh of relief when they suddenly heard Teyla's voice calling their names.

O~o~O~o~O

The sun was on the wane by the time the rescue party had dug down far enough. Everyone was twitching with anticipation and tempers were flaring as they made their way the final few feet before breaking through.

Teyla was the first to the opening, calling both men's names. To her relief, she saw both men crouched together. She smiled as she saw Ronon lower his large gun in relief; he was forever wary.

However, her heart fell as she realized that John was trapped. His arm sagged, and Ronon quickly reached forward to relieve him of the gun. Looking back, she realized that John must have passed out. He did not look good.

Teyla felt hands on her shoulders and heard her name called. She looked back.

"Come on," Sam said. "We'll need to make the entrance wider if we're going to get them out."

O~o~O~o~O

The rescue crews worked as quickly as possible to widen the entrance enough to let people in and out without fear of another collapse or landslide. The work was slow and painstaking, but every last person there was determined to see the operation through.

Teyla stood back, running through every trick she knew to stay calm. She knew that Ronon must be feeling much the same on the other side.

Back along the tree line, a large tent had been set up. Curious, she wandered over and pulled back the flap. Instead, a fire warmed the air while Carson Beckett moved around, unpacking and arranging medical supplies.

Catching sight of Teyla, he smiled. "They'll need my services, I'm afraid. I thought I'd best be ready for my patients as soon as they emerge."

Suddenly, a cheer arose from outside. Teyla and Carson hurried to the entrance of the tent.

They could not see the mine entrance, but it was clear that the digging was finally complete. Carson wasted no time making his way to the front of the crowd, Teyla following in his wake.

Radek Zelenka held up his hand as they approached. "Rodney is assessing the stability now, while Sam is figuring out how to free Mr. Sheppard."

"I need to get in there. If the lad's hurt, they could make it worse when they pull him out if they're not careful," Carson said indignantly.

Rodney poked his head out, declaring the area 'as safe as it was going to get for the time being, as long as every man and his dog doesn't want to come in.' At that, Carson grabbed his medical bag and moved inside.

Sam poked her head out to issue some orders, putting out her hand to stop Teyla as she tried to move by.

"It's probably best if you stay out here just now," Sam said, seeing the determination in Teyla's eyes. "We're going to need every last bit of space in here."

Seeing the pleading in Sam's eyes, Teyla inclined her head in acquiescence and stepped back.

Minutes passed by with little movement. Many of the rescuers began debating whether to camp or see if they could get down off the mountain by nightfall in order to travel back to town.

In the end, everyone stayed and a tent city suddenly appeared just outside the area of the landslide. On the practical side, there was safety in numbers, and no one wanted to risk a Wraith attack in the dark. Deep down, they felt that they had come this far; they wanted to see things through and make sure everyone got off the mountain safely.

After what seemed like hours, Sam's volunteers had managed to rig a lever to free John. Within minutes, he was brought out on a canvas stretcher covered in blankets. Ronon refused to leave the mine until John was out. Another cheer went up as they emerged from the earth, and a path had to be cleared through the crowd to Carson's medical tent.

Teyla stood in the tent, waiting. She had already shed her outer jacket and pulled back her hair. Carson trusted her to assist him for the same reason Elizabeth sometimes had Teyla cover for her at the town office: she was sensible and kept a cool head.

Despite her normal calm, she was still shocked when the procession finally arrived in the medical tent. Ronon was covered with dust, his dreadlocks several shades lighter than normal. He occasionally coughed from the dust he had inhaled, but beyond a few scrapes and bruises, he seemed unharmed. Teyla quickly crossed the space to hug him and reassure herself that he was okay.

John was a different story. Although she could see the dust in his hair, it quickly became apparent that his skin was unnaturally pale. His eyes were clenched shut and his breathing was labored, so she was surprised that he was not only awake but lucid once he was settled onto the makeshift exam table.

"All field hospitals look the same," he grumbled, trying to get over his embarrassment at having so many people watching him.

Carson shooed out everyone but Teyla and quickly set to work. He allowed John a medicinal shot of whiskey followed by a small injection of morphine. Once his patient had relaxed slightly, he cleaned the wound on John's side with some plain alcohol that Zelenka had distilled especially for him after they had spent a night with a hypochondriac McKay discussing the causes of infection.

"Save some for me," Sheppard whispered when he caught a whiff of the antiseptic.

Carson chuckled. "Sorry, lad, wrong kind of alcohol. I'm hoping it will keep all the nasty buggers at bay, though."

The evening was growing dark, so Carson focused his lantern on the wound. The light was another 'McKay special'. After Carson once complained that a lack of good lighting often hindered his treatment at night, Rodney had taken miniaturized lenses like those used in lighthouses to enhance the brightness of Carson's lamps. The doctor was immensely grateful for McKay's intelligence – not that he would ever tell him that.

Teyla stood on the other side of John, watching Carson work and trying to learn anything she could.

Finally, after John involuntarily dropped his arm down to block Carson's view one too many times, he asked her to hold John's arm across his body.

Rather than pinning him down, she held his hand in hers far enough over that the elbow was out of Carson's way. With her other hand, she began running her hand through John's hair and humming.

Once he was finally finished cleaning and stitching the wound, Carson looked up to see that John was resting peacefully.

"You do have a way with people, love," Carson chuckled. "I thought Radek was ready to start purring when you helped me after he shocked himself with that experiment."

Teyla smiled, then returned her glance to the man between them. "Will he be okay?"

"Aye, I hope so," Carson said. "We'll see how tonight goes, but I think the lad has gotten lucky. Whatever poked him in the side seemed to miss anything important."

Finally feeling some of the tension flow out of her, she left Carson to clean up John's other minor injuries and went to find Ronon.

Predictably, he was growling at a young local man as he tried to bandage some of Ronon's cuts. Seeing Teyla approach, he threw up his hands and handed over his supplies. "Good luck with him," he muttered in exasperation before walking away.

Teyla turned to give Ronon a disapproving look and he had the good grace to look sheepish.

"You can relax now," she told him. "Dr. Beckett thinks that John will survive."

She could see his shoulders slump as he let out a sigh of relief and exhaustion, his head dropping to his hand. He would not have shown such signs of weakness in front of anyone else.

"I knew you guys would come," he said in a rough voice. Teyla sat down on the log next to them, and for a few minutes they sat in the lantern light staring at the rising moon in silence.

Finally, he quietly asked, "Was it your gift?"

"Yes," said Teyla softly.

"You see? Good can still come from it," he said, nudging her with his shoulder. She couldn't help but smile and squeeze his arm in reply.

Ronon was one of the few who knew of her gift and of her self-recriminations for her failure to protect her people. Though he was not a man of many words, he always did his best to convince Teyla that she had done all she could.

Finally, Teyla broke the silence by asking, "Are you injured, or were you merely making life difficult for Mr. Kagan for sport?"

She could see Ronon's white teeth in the light of the moon as he grinned. Rolling her eyes, Teyla stood up, pulling Ronon with her. "You should not hassle people so much," she said. "I believe that there are many in town who think you bite."

"Let them," Ronon said with a shrug.

People in Atlantis often allowed themselves to be intimidated by Ronon, and he did nothing to disabuse them of the notion. Teyla found it frustrating that Ronon received such a boyish sort of pleasure out of it.

"I am thankful that you are safe – that both of you are alive," she said, lowering her head. Ronon leaned down in the traditional Athosian gesture. He was not normally a demonstrative man, so the move was a testament to his own relief and respect for Teyla. They stood quietly for a moment, allowing themselves a moment to let it sink in that the worst had passed.

"Come along, then, Mountain Man," Teyla said, repeating the name John had called Ronon the day before. "Let us go thank everyone for their help and then check on John."

O~o~O~o~O

Teyla and Ronon felt like politicians by the time they had finished making their way through the makeshift camp, thanking all of their friends and neighbors for their help. Ronon refused to admit to the lump he felt forming in his throat when he saw how many people had come from Atlantis to help him and John. To a person, they had simply shrugged and mumbled a simple, 'of course,' or, 'you'd do the same,' when they were thanked. For all the adventure and heroics that came with living in Pegasus Valley, the Lanteans were generally a humble group.

Finally, Teyla and Ronon left Rodney, Sam, and Radek around the fire arguing about the reality of time travel to check back in the medical tent.

Carson looked up at them from his chair next to John Sheppard's cot. "Ah, Ronon, lad. I haven't had a look at ye yet. Come over and sit down."

Ronon shrugged. "I'm fine. How's Sheppard?"

"He's fine, resting peacefully for now. And that wasn't so much a request as an order. Sit down and let me check you over," Carson said, not giving an inch.

Ronon liked and respected the doctor who had been able to nurse him back to health after his days of running, so he strode over to the vacated chair next to the lantern without further protest.

Carson examined the cuts that Kagan had cleaned and did a bit more. Teyla cringed when Ronon showed Carson the bruise on the back of his legs from falling debris, but in typical Ronon fashion he merely shrugged it off.

While the two men spoke quietly, Teyla wandered over to check on John. His color was slightly better now and he did not seem to be in any pain as he slept.

"I got some liquids into him. Barring any complications in the next 48 hours, he should be right as rain in no time," Carson said as both men watched John over her shoulder.

"Thank you, Carson, for all of your help," she said. "I am grateful that so many people were willing to help us. Not everyone in this world is so fortunate."

"They say you can't choose your family, but I think we're lucky enough that we've gotten to create our own here in Pegasus Valley," Carson said. "More people offered to join us, but someone had to stay in town to look after things."

Teyla smiled and patted Carson's hand that rested on her shoulder.

Eventually Ronon bit back a yawn. Usually he would be one of the last to bed down in a situation like this, but the adrenaline and anxiety of the day had left him drained.

"Go sleep, lad. I'm sure someone out there has an extra bedroll," Carson said.

Ronon left but returned shortly afterward with a bedroll. He cut off Carson's intended interruption by saying, "I'm staying here." With that, he rolled everything out along one wall of the tent and was asleep within moments.

"Someone should stay up with Mr. Sheppard," Carson said, his own energy flagging.

Teyla was also exhausted because of her interrupted sleep and the day's ordeal, but she did not think she had calmed down enough. "Go ahead, Dr. Beckett," she said, pushing him toward the empty cot in the other corner of the tent. "I am not ready to sleep yet."

Without any further argument, Carson made his way over to the cot, leaving Teyla with instructions to wake him if necessary. Soon, the tent was quiet except for Ronon's quiet snoring.

Teyla slowly sat down on the edge of John's cot, trying to avoid making any noise.

O~o~O~o~O

Deep in the depths of the night, Teyla moved around the medical tent as quietly as she could. When John awoke, she gave him sips of water and some medicine Carson had laid out. While he and the others slept, she busied herself with making sure there was enough oil in the lanterns and that everyone had enough blankets.

It was clear that John was occasionally having disturbing dreams as he murmured and tossed his head in his sleep. Teyla did her best to quiet him before he hurt himself without waking the others. Thankfully, there did not seem to be any fever.

However, she jumped and nearly screamed when the flap of the tent suddenly moved aside.

"Sorry," Evan Lorne whispered as he stuck his head through the opening. "I was on guard duty and thought I would check on things in here."

Teyla rose from her chair by the bed and joined Mr. Lorne outside. It took her eyes a few moments to adjust her vision to the light of the stars, so she breathed deeply of the fresh night air while she waited.

"They are all asleep for now," she said quietly. "Ronon appears to have only minor injuries, and Dr. Beckett believes that John should recover."

"Good," said Lorne with an approving nod. "Everyone will be happy to hear it."

Teyla looked around at the camp. Most of the rescue party had packed tents, although some people were sprawled on the ground near the bonfire, choosing to sleep outside despite the ground still damp from the recent rain. If a person was used to being outside all the time, it was difficult to be cooped up inside.

"We've had a rota of guards going all night," Lorne informed her, holding up his shotgun. "You should get some sleep. Our work isn't finished yet."

"Very true," Teyla said with a nod. "Good night, and thank you."

"Anytime, ma'am," Lorne said with a fake drawl and the tip of an imaginary hat.

Teyla re-entered the dim tent to find Carson checking over a sleeping John.

"I am sorry. Did I wake you?" Teyla asked quietly.

"I was just dozing," Carson said. "I wanted to check on my patient. You should rest a spell now."

With Carson's quiet assurances and Lorne's recent updates, Teyla felt herself truly relax for the first time since the ordeal began. Without further ado, she slipped off her shoes and coat and lay down on the cot. She was soon asleep.

O~o~O~o~O

Teyla was awoken by people who were not even pretending to be quiet.

"We all gather just for him and then he doesn't even have the decency to wake up for it," Rodney sniped as he stood watching John sleep.

"No one can sleep when you're around, McKay," John murmured, opening his eyes a fraction.

"Oh, ha, ha. You were funnier when you were sleeping," the scientist retorted.

"Rodney! Ya can't just come in here and cause a fuss," Carson cut in.

"Don't worry, Carson," John said, his voice still full of sleep. "He can't help himself. He's only doing what comes naturally to him."

Carson threw up his hands. "Well, you're obviously feeling better, John, otherwise you wouldn't be mouthing off like this."

"McKay brings it out in me," John muttered as he gripped his side while attempting to sit up.

Seeing him move, Teyla rushed forward to help him while Carson assisted from the other side.

"What?! I was going to help him but she beat me to it," Rodney argued when he caught the look Carson shot his way.

"Sure you were, McKay," Ronon said as he entered the tent, slapping Rodney hard on the back as he went by.

"Good to see you awake," Lorne said as he followed Ronon into the tent.

"Good to be awake," John said.

After arguing his case to be able to get out of bed, John braced himself to walk outside to the fire. As they exited the tent, John stopped, speechless, as he realized how many people from Atlantis had gathered to help rescue them from the landslide.

"You do have a way of bringing people together, sir," Lorne joked, seeing John's astonishment.

John managed to walk through the crowd of well-wishers to plop down in a canvas chair that someone had placed for him near the fire. Teyla and Carson had been impressed with his strength, but they could see that even that short walk had drained him. The trip home would not be fun.

Two hours later, everyone had been fed and everything packed. Although John wanted nothing more than to return home on his own two feet, realistically that wasn't possible. Carson sent Teyla to convince him that a shot of morphine and being carried in the canvas litter was the best option. He wasn't happy, but he agreed.

Finally, the party was ready to head back down the mountain. The horses bearing the rescue supplies went first, carefully picking their footing among the loose dirt and rocks. They were followed by the group carrying John, with Teyla, Carson, Ronon, and others bringing up the rear. Ronon had offered to take one corner of the stretcher, at which point Carson put his foot down and banned Ronon from carrying anything more than his pack for the day. Within a few hours, the procession had delivered John to his home with Carson as a houseguest and Teyla and Ronon promising to come by shortly. Everyone's relief that the rescue had been successful meant that people throughout Pegasus Valley slept well that night.

TBC


	10. Chapter 10

The day of the Atlantis harvest celebration dawned clear and beautiful. Everyone had gathered with eager anticipation, with the red, white, and blue bunting from the Fourth of July once again hanging along the length of Main Street. Teyla paused for a moment to take in the noise and the crowd, a crowd that was far larger than any she would see for the rest of the year.

She and the others had come to town yesterday evening and camped down near the river so that they would not miss today's festivities. There would be a competition for largest pumpkin and a pie-baking contest, horse races, and more food than she had ever seen in one place. Then in the evening, there would be a dance at one end of the main street. Wandering though the crowd now, Teyla smiled and nodded at those she recognized. Although Atlantis did not have many occupants, the street was packed with people such as themselves who had traveled long distances to be here.

Finally, she broke free from the crowd and moved to the open field behind the school and town office. Settling on a bench next to Elizabeth Weir and Laura Cadman, Teyla sat back and enjoyed watching the people around her.

It was still early and the sun had not yet reached its full height, but she saw both John and Mr. Lorne riding their horses at one end of the field. It looked as though they were about to race. She patted Elizabeth's arm to get her attention, then turned back to her friends whose horses were prancing at an invisible starting line while they waited for Chuck to give the signal.

Chuck's arm dropped and both horses took off across the field. She knew that both men had been members of the cavalry and loved the speed that only a good horse could provide. However, she usually only saw John's horses pulling his wagon, and she was eager to watch him ride. At their very first meeting, John had mentioned how much he loved fast horses, and Teyla found herself leaning forward, looking for some of that joy in a face that too often reflected a heavy heart.

She could not help the grin that formed on her face as she watched her friends. John had recovered quickly from his injuries in the mine. Today, both riders wore the glee of young boys on their faces, and Teyla had to admit that John, especially, was a natural rider. She admired the way he embraced the wind whipping by him, comfortable with a speed and power that frightened most people. Despite outward appearances, Teyla was once again reminded of the strength her friend possessed.

John crossed an unseen finish line farther down the field, throwing up his arms in victory as his horse gradually slowed to a walk and he and Lorne shook hands. A group of men huddled by the finish line; Teyla could not see exactly what they were doing, but she was pretty sure money was quietly changing hands.

She was surprised when John walked his horse over to where she sat with the other women. Leaning down to give the horse a pat on the neck as it snuffled, he asked, "So, what did you think?"

"You ride well," Elizabeth said, getting up to tentatively pat the horse's nose. Teyla was sure it was Laura, and not the horse, who snorted.

"It was an entertaining race, Mr. Sheppard," Teyla said, not wanting to feed her friend's ego too much. She walked over to the horse and ran a hand over the horse's face and neck as she spoke.

John grinned, seeming quite pleased with her words. "I've gotta start doing this more often," he said. "I forgot how much I love this."

"Which horse is this again?" Teyla asked, stroking the sleek black animal.

"Jumper One," John said, looking fondly at the horse. John had told her once that an eight-year-old girl must have names his horses. Their official names were Puddlejumper and Starjumper, but he jokingly referred to them as Jumper One and Jumper Two.

"Perhaps someday we can race," Teyla said.

"You sure you want to race a cavalry man?" he asked in a joking voice.

Teyla smiled. Even though he had never seen her ride a horse at full speed, she was sure that John was smart enough not to underestimate her talents. And if he did, she would not-so-subtly remind him that she wasn't like most women.

O~o~O~o~O

Many of the townspeople were seeking solace from the day's sunshine beneath the wooden awnings of the buildings lining Main Street as the town's parade marched by. While entertainment was hard to come by in the West, John found himself bored of watching military veterans and dancing school children troop down the avenue. Instead, his eyes scanned the crowd, finally coming to rest on Ronon and Teyla next to him.

Despite growing up in different cultures, they had firmly embraced their new lives. Teyla always seemed interested in what happened around her, and Ronon … well, John wasn't sure what he thought, but whatever it was, he wasn't giving it away.

Suddenly, Teyla frowned and straightened up. Ronon immediately noticed her change in stance, while John quickly scanned the crowd to see what had caught her eye. When nothing stood out, he also turned back to her.

"Something is wrong," she said quietly to the two men. "I can feel it."

"How do you know?" John asked, confused, as he continued to scan the crowd.

It was Ronon who answered. "She has … a gift."

He turned back to Teyla. "Do you think it's the Wraith?"

She nodded. "Quite possibly."

Without another word, Ronon spun on his heel and pushed his way through the crowd into the saloon.

John moved in to fill Ronon's place. "Are you ever wrong?" he asked her quietly.

"Never," Teyla said earnestly, shaking her head.

Ronon quickly strode past Sam and up the stairs into her quarters, ignoring her annoyed calls behind him. Stomping into her bedroom, he marched to the second-storey windows that looked toward the road into town from the east. A large cloud of dust was visible. That meant a lot of people and a lot of horses moving quickly.

Despite the noise of the crowd, Ronon managed to get the attention of Peter Grodin, who stood along the street below. In moments the banker was pushing his way through the crowd to sound the school bell as an alarm. Already, Ronon and John were searching out weapons and ordering men into place while Teyla tried to start herding women and children to safety without causing panic.

The Wraith were about to strike.

TBC

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Author's note: The dastardly Wraith finally make their appearance, but the people of Atlantis aren't going down without a fight.


	11. Chapter 11

The Wraith hit fast and hard.

John spared a quick look at Teyla before returning his gaze to their situation. They were pinned down behind a pile of wooden crates in back of the hotel by several members of Kolya's gang. John had one of his shotguns within easy reach, but they would need help.

"You don't happen to be armed, do you?" he shouted to Teyla over the gunfire. He saw some splinters fly into the air as a box farther down the line took a hit, but generally they seemed safe in their hiding spot. Most of the townspeople had managed to get to safety, but Teyla and John had been caught out in the open by the Wraith.

John gaped as instead of answering, Teyla merely lifted her skirts to reveal not one, but two, holsters strapped to her leg. John wasn't surprised that the weaponry wasn't visible beneath the layers she wore, but even in the midst of battle, certain parts of his brain couldn't help but remind him that it had been far too long since he had seen that much of a woman outside of a dance hall.

Pulling out one of her pistols, Teyla expertly handled it and prepared to shoot while John crept a few feet away. After trading a look and a nod, they rose in unison to take some well-placed shots. In a matter of seconds, the odds began moving in their favor, but soon they had to give up their assault and dive for cover once again.

In addition to the men he and Teyla had just taken down, John had seen at least four others shooting at them. Instinct kicked in and he instantly used military hand signals to convey the information. Only later did he realize that Teyla had no problem understanding what he meant with those gestures.

Another assault on their part narrowed the number of assailants to two, but at least one of them had taken cover in a place that didn't give them a clear shot. John quietly made his way back to where Teyla crouched.

"We're going to be here all day unless we do something," he told her. "I'm going to draw their attention. I need you to take them out. Can you do that?"

"Of course," Teyla said matter-of-factly. "But John, this might not end well."

John knew that, but he had no other choice. Around them they could hear people shouting and the occasional gunshots. Silently, he handed Teyla his shotgun and took the pistol that she had reloaded during their discussion.

With another quick nod, John made his way back down to the other end of the pile of boxes and took a deep breath.

O~o~O~o~O

For years to come, Teyla could not help but replay the next few seconds in her mind.

On his mark, John stood up, drawing fire toward him. Teyla rose at the same time, picking off one of the Wraith Gang shooters. However, her heart sank as she saw a rifle rise but realized she did not have a clean shot at the second shooter.

There was not enough time to warn John and for him to react. He was an easy target.

Then two things happened at once. The rifle's muzzle flashed as its owner took the shot…

…and an even louder bang reverberated through the area. The rifle sank down to rest pointing at the ground, and it quickly became apparent that the rifle owner's pull of the trigger was his last action on this Earth.

Their ears rang in the silence that followed. John Sheppard realized he was still standing, and it was Teyla's turn to gape at this. John's attention was focused on the shooter, stunned as he had thought he was about to die.

Then Ronon stepped out from behind the dead man.

Teyla had never been so happy to see her brother as at that moment. John remained frozen in place for a moment longer, staring at the oversized gun in Ronon's hand.

"You okay, Sheppard?" Ronon asked, not letting on about how close a call it had been.

John swallowed and nodded as Teyla ran up and looked over both men. "Yeah. Thanks, buddy."

"But … how…?" Teyla asked breathlessly as she realized that both men were unharmed.

John seemed to quickly regain his composure. "Ronon shot the guy just as he pulled the trigger. The shot went wide."

Teyla sucked in a breath. It had been a close call – too close. "Well, thank the Ancestors."

John nodded his thanks at Ronon and then began heading toward the main street. "Come on," he said. "The battle isn't over yet."

With a quick nod, Teyla and Ronon fell into step beside their friend, and together they headed back into fray.

O~o~O~o~O

The fighting was most fierce near the east end of town. As they ran toward the action, John saw horses moving out of the corner of his eye and felt the first stirrings of hope. It looked like the bad guys were preparing to leave town.

But they had business to finish first.

In the middle of the street stood a group of the town's men, and none of them were shooting. As they approached, John saw why, and his blood ran cold.

There stood Acastus Kolya, his scarred face as evil and intimidating as ever. In front of him stood Elizabeth, a human shield whom he held with a choke hold. When he saw this John became livid and pushed his way through the crowd of men who stood doing nothing.

He stepped forward and Kolya's eyes registered his movement, lighting up when he recognized the one person bold enough to approach. Here was the one that had gotten away.

"Let her go," John said, struggling to keep the fear out of his voice. This could go badly for Elizabeth very, very quickly if he wasn't careful.

Kolya simply sneered while Elizabeth tried to control her panic as he dragged her back toward his own gathering men.

"I will shoot you if you don't let her go," John reiterated.

"And risk hurting Ms. Weir?" Kolya asked in a mocking voice.

John raised his rifle, praying that Elizabeth would hold still. His hands were steady, and he was not going to let the bastard hurt her.

"I'm not aiming at her," he said ominously.

He was a soldier. He knew his gun and he knew his skill. And when Kolya took one more step, he knew it was now or never.

A shot rang out.

To everyone's surprise, Kolya went stumbling backward. A few of the townspeople raced forward to drag Elizabeth to safety as she staggered forward, shocked by what had just happened.

Because of his human shield, John hadn't had a chance to take the kill shot that he so desperately wanted. Shaken, he watched in despair as horses and men surrounded Kolya. If they weren't threatening the townspeople right now, he wasn't going to start another shoot-out. By the time the dust had cleared, the Wraith Gang was gone.

O~o~O~o~O

John and Ronon returned with the other men to town to inspect the damage, having sent out scouts to quietly follow the gang in their retreat and posted sentries to raise the alarm in case they returned.

The town was in shambles. One house at the far end of town was burning, although a line of water-bearers had nearly conquered the flames. Rodney raced around checking the telegraph wires and muttering about delicate machinery being damaged. John saw Teyla comforting a woman on the stairs of the saloon, and she nodded toward the hotel as they passed.

Both men entered the building to find that it had been turned into a makeshift field hospital. Amelia Banks, who ran the hotel, was standing over a man tied to a chair in the front room, staring sternly. The man looked worse for wear, and certainly wary of the woman in front of him.

"He's one of them," she spit out. "He came in here and tried to kidnap me. But it didn't work so well, did it?" she asked him. Given how he cringed when she leaned toward him, John guessed that the man had come in full of bravado, but certainly would leave bruised and deflated.

"We're gonna check in with the doc, and then we'll escort him to the jail," John said, heading for the stairs.

"I'll stay down here and keep an eye on him," Ronon volunteered. The speed with which he did so caused John to turn around and raise an eyebrow. Ronon ignored him.

Resigned to heading upstairs alone, John filed the incident away for later questioning.

TBC


	12. Chapter 12

"Mr. Bates!" Teyla called after the railroad agent, who was walking back down the street toward the school. His words a few moments ago could not go unanswered.

He turned to face her. "What is it?"

Teyla did everything she could to keep her anger in check, but this was pushing it. "You just accused me of bringing the Wraith Gang to Atlantis," she said through gritted teeth, referring to the man's comment moments before in front of a number of townspeople.

Bates seemed unperturbed. "Yes, I did."

Was nothing getting through to this man? Teyla fumed silently. Instead, she cooling stated, "Clearly you were wrong."

"That's yet to be determined, ma'am," he answered just as coolly.

Teyla couldn't believe her ears. Silently, she wondered what she had done to deserve such disdain. Was it simply because she was of native blood rather than from back East?

"Excuse me?" she managed to squeeze out. "Perhaps you are not aware, Mr. Bates, but being accused of working with the Wraith is the greatest insult among my people."

Everyone in the Pegasus Valley knew the story of how the Wraith Gang had cruelly slaughtered dozens, if not hundreds, of the native people living in the West, and they had no qualms about destroying villages for no other reason than because they could.

But apparently that wasn't enough for the agent. "Oh, I'm aware," he said.

At that, Teyla snapped. There had been too much violence in her young life. Too much loss of those dear to her. To insinuate that she had brought this upon Atlantis because of her mere presence after she had fought side-by-side with the town's inhabitants today was unacceptable.

Bates obviously did not realize that women could look pretty, yet hit hard. His head snapped back at Teyla's punch, and after a moment of shock, he moved to strike back.

Amid the intensity of their confrontation, neither had noticed the arrival of Sheppard and Ronon. John saw Teyla strike Bates, and when the other man moved to fight back, John knew it was time to step in.

"What the hell's going on here?" he bellowed as he grabbed Teyla, pulling her away and moving between the two combatants. He was not in the mood for this. A moment later, Ronon grabbed Bates and hauled him back, but it was clear that this was not over yet.

"What are you doing?" he hissed at Teyla as he fought to keep her from breaking free. She was much smaller than him, but sometimes he was sure she was just as powerful.

"I was simply stating an opinion!" she ground out through gritted teeth, her eyes never leaving Bates.

Now Bates' composure broke. "She attacked me!" he told the men, trying to shake free from Ronon's iron grip.

"And for good reason!" Teyla shouted back. John was inclined to agree with her. He had never met anyone more composed than Teyla. Whatever Bates said to raise her ire, it must have been bad.

"Yeah, what reason would that be?" he asked.

"The Wraith Gang!" Bates shouted at John, even though his eyes never left Teyla's. Both combatants renewed their struggles to break free, and John and Ronon both struggled to restrain them. "She's a spy for them! She brought them here!"

John knew this was not true. Teyla had lost more in Wraith attacks than almost anyone else. Although he had heard that some people informed for or paid off the Wraith Gang in hopes of placating them, Teyla was not one of them. This had to end now.

"Walk away, Bates!" John said in his best commander voice. If Teyla was this worked up, he had to rely on Bates to be the one cool enough to turn aside despite being the instigator.

Bates immediately protested, but John was having none of it. "Walk away!" he shouted again as Teyla nearly ripped herself free from his grasp.

Apparently Bates was finally ready to listen to reason, but barely. "This isn't over!" he shouted, shaking his finger at Teyla.

"I would be disappointed if it were!" Teyla shouted at his departing back.

Once Bates was far enough away, John grabbed Teyla's shoulders and turned her toward him.

"What the hell are you doing? We have enough on our hands already fighting the Wraith without fighting amongst each other!" he said, frustrated.

Strangely, Teyla would not let go of the issue. "He said…"

"I don't care what he said!" John blurted out. "You just stay away from him."

"Fine!" Teyla snapped before giving John a fierce glare. With that, she spun on her heel and stomped back toward the saloon to help tend to the wounded.

John sighed and pinched the bridge of his nose. Teyla had a damn good reason for her behavior. He had slipped back into battle commander mode during today's events, and had treated Teyla as one of his soldiers rather than the friend that she was.

Ronon clapped him on the shoulder in acknowledgment and they began heading in the same direction as Teyla. John just hoped that she would still speak to him once she had cooled down.

O~o~O~o~O

Their journey home two days later was not as cheerful as their journey into town. Figuring their animals had access to food and water and could be left on their own for a while, the three neighbors had stayed in Atlantis to help clean up and plan a course of action.

The town needed to come up with a plan for dealing with another Wraith invasion. This area was one of the few places that had not bowed down to the outlaws, so John was certain that the Wraith would return to Atlantis. Any men (and a few women) of fighting age were going to be trained up as a fighting force. Thankfully, that would not be difficult since so many had a military background. They would have to find a way to secret away the elderly, women, and children so they would be out of harm's way if the Wraith came again.

To that end, John had been elected head of the military component, and would be working with Elizabeth who, in her capacity as mayor, would oversee the plans. Rodney, Zelenka, and Sam had offered to help develop technology to help their cause, and others were pitching in wherever they could.

Much of their last day in town had been spent seated around the big table in the back room of the mayor's office. Elizabeth had sat at the head, coordinating the townspeople's efforts, while Sheppard and Lorne, his newly-elected second-in-command, had pored over maps in an effort to come up with an anti-Wraith plan. Rodney, Sam and Radek had contributed technical advice, while Ronon and Teyla were brought in for their contacts and knowledge of the lands around Pegasus Valley.

Satisfied that the town would be fine for the moment, John, Teyla, and Ronon had been able to collect the supplies that they had originally come to town for and were now heading home. A light snow had fallen the previous night, the first of the season.

Unusually for him, John was lying down in the back of the wagon with the supplies, allowing Ronon to drive his team home. Teyla looked back at John from her seat with the shotgun up front, worried about her friend.

After the incident with Bates, Teyla and John had not seen much of each other outside of meetings, and she had not had a chance to apologize to him for her behavior. But it wasn't just that. After the incident with Kolya, John had become quiet and withdrawn. In the strategy meetings, he had been focused on the business at hand. She was pretty sure that he hadn't slept the entire time they had been in Atlantis, instead taking overnight watches both nights in addition to fighting and assisting in the clean-up during the day.

John still didn't appear to be asleep, but instead lay beneath a blanket, staring at the sky with half-hooded eyes. It was obvious that he was so tired that he could do nothing else, but he was too troubled to sleep. Teyla sighed, eager for this day to be finished. They travelled on, the silence broken only by the creak of the wagon wheels.

TBC


	13. Chapter 13

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Poor John just can't catch a break...

A few days after their return from town and the Wraith attack, the air turned cold and crisp. Teyla stopped to take a deep breath after finishing the morning chores. It was a clear, sunny autumn day with a hint of frost in the air. It was a beautiful day, but with winter looming large, this would soon end.

Teyla was yanked from her reverie by the sounds of disgruntled cattle and horses in the distance. Frowning, she looked over toward John's cabin. Usually he was up just as early as she and Ronon were, but today he apparently hadn't done chores yet. She was surprised that the disgruntled livestock hadn't spurred him on.

Even more disconcerting was the lack of smoke rising from the cabin chimney.

Spinning around, she turned to where Ronon was chopping wood near his cabin, the air occasionally split by a great _CRACK_ as he split another log. Teyla's voice carried well in the cold air as she called to him. Ronon must have heard the concern in her voice, because he immediately put down the hatchet and ran the quarter-mile toward her.

Teyla met him partway across the meadow. "Look," she said, pointing toward John's home. "I am concerned."

Ronon immediately agreed. "Grab your gun and your medicines," he told her. "Hopefully he went out hunting early or something. But it wouldn't hurt to check."

In moments, Teyla was ready to go, and they quickly and cautiously crossed the remaining distance to John's claim. Quickly scanning the area, Teyla noted that there were no extra horses or vehicles – and thus no visitors to explain his failure to appear.

Aside from the restless animals, all was quiet as they approached the cabin door. Teyla and Ronon exchanged a wary look before Ronon knocked and called out John's name.

Nothing. The door was not locked or jammed shut, so they cautiously pushed it open and entered.

Teyla immediately rushed forward to the prone figure on the bed. John looked terrible: his skin was pale and sweaty, his body shivered, and his face was pinched in a restless sleep. It was cold enough that the condensation inside the cabin had formed a layer of frost on the window glass.

Teyla placed a cool hand on John's forehead. Her worry must have shown on her face. "Can you help him?" Ronon asked in a soft voice behind her.

"I am not sure if my herbs will be enough," she said. "He may have been ill for quite some time before we noticed."

Ronon headed outside to tend to the animals while Teyla re-lit the fire in the stove and prepared to boil the herbs. Carefully, she crushed the dried leaves and berries she had collected from the mountains and placed them in a pot of boiling water.

As she waited for the water to cool, she took a rag dipped in cold water and ran it across John's brow. She jumped when he suddenly shouted, "NO!"

It took a moment before she realized that his shout had not been directed at her. "You are okay, John," she said soothingly. "You are safe in bed."

John shouted something unintelligible and writhed around slightly. Ronon came running in at the noise. Teyla managed to get John to open his eyes, although she was not sure that he actually knew where he was. Together, they hauled John into a sitting position. With Ronon supporting him from behind, Teyla convinced John to drink a few sips of her brew before the action tired him out and they put him back down.

"Do you need me to fetch Dr. Beckett?" Ronon asked in a worried voice.

Teyla sighed and nodded at Ronon. "I am afraid that my herbs are not strong enough this time. John's fever is very serious. I fear for him."

"Will you be okay by yourself for a while?" Ronon asked as he put on his deerskin coat. Teyla gave him a pointed stare and a raised eyebrow. Ronon grinned and headed back out the door to saddle one of John's horses.

"Be careful!" she called after him.

"You too," he nodded, before disappearing down the road.

O~o~O~o~O

_Holland hadn't been accounted for when the rest of the men returned, and John was worried. Their mission had been a dangerous one. John knew that his friend could not be taken out easily. There was only one course of action: He had to go back._

_No one noticed when he saddled a fresh horse, so he quickly mounted and took off down the path. Shouts followed behind him, including promises of punishment when he got back._

_John didn't care. He never left a man behind._

_Cautiously retracing their previous route, John eventually came across his friend, propped up against the belly of his horse, which must have been shot from under him. Holland raised his head slowly at John's approach, and John could see that the man was badly hurt. Already, he could tell that this was not going to end well._

_Carefully, he helped his friend to stand. Holland immediately doubled over, and John knew that there were internal injuries in addition to the visible head injury. But they were in the middle of enemy territory, and they were out in the open. John had to get Holland into the forest for cover._

_At that moment, something spooked John's horse, and it bolted across the field. John swore. Not only was their only means of transportation gone, but enemy patrols would eventually capture the horse. Slowly, he turned Holland toward the nearest bit of forest and together they slowly limped forward._

_Once in the woods, John did his best to bandage Holland's wounds, but it soon became apparent that his friend was fading fast._

_"_ _You're out of your mind. You know that, right?" Holland said weakly. "You came back alone, didn't you?"_

_John didn't answer, but rather concentrated on trying to stop the bleeding on Holland's leg._

_"_ _Too bad about the horse. Now we're both going to die out here," Holland continued. "This place is crawling with enemy soldiers."_

_"_ _I'm sure there are a few around," John said nonchalantly. "Stop talking and maybe they won't hear us."_

_Holland snorted, and neither man missed the slightly gargled sound of it. Slowly his eyes began to close._

_John gently shook his arm. "Hey, I didn't come all this way just to leave you here. Wake up!"_

_"_ _Don't worry, I'll say something nice at your court martial," Holland said softly, but both men knew he would be there in spirit only._

_They quietly waited while a patrol passed within twenty feet of their location. When they had finally passed, Holland spoke again, his voice weaker than before._

_"_ _Sheppard, whatever happens, thanks for coming after me," he said. With that, the hand that had gripped John's arm slowly loosened and fell to the ground._

_The world became silent._

O~o~O~o~O

John's fever was worse, and it was clear that the herbs were not working. Teyla continued to run a damp cloth across her friend's forehead and hum songs of the Ancestors to try to sooth his restless sleep.

"Please hurry, Ronon," she begged the silence around her. John had obviously been troubled after the attack on Atlantis, and it appeared that he hadn't been sleeping well. She had thought he would recover with time, but now Teyla began to wonder if John's body had been harboring an infection since the mine collapse which was only manifesting itself now that he was exhausted. She and John hadn't discussed the incident with Bates in Atlantis, and she prayed to the Ancestors that she would have the opportunity to apologize to him.

O~o~O~o~O

_The events that came after Holland's final moments were both firmly engraved and confused in John's mind._

_He was captured at some point, although he never could remember if he was still with Holland's body or if he had made a move to return to his side. Either way, there was a time of uncertainty, until he suddenly found himself tied to a chair in a dingy room, facing a man with a scarred face and a penchant for cruelty._

TBC

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Up next: It's a long night for everyone, conscious or not.


	14. Chapter 14

Teyla was relieved to see John gasp and open his eyes, although she wasn't altogether sure that he was truly awake. Although his body was obviously exhausted, his dreams seemed troubled, and he fought tooth and nail to avoid falling back to sleep.

Apparently hoping to stay awake, or perhaps to cool off, John suddenly sat up and swung his feet off the side of the bed. To Teyla's surprise, he rose to his feet easily, pausing only briefly to wait for his head-rush to subside.

"John, perhaps you should sit down," Teyla said, slightly surprised at the intense look on his face.

"No," he said in a gravelly voice. "I can't…"

"Can't what, John," Teyla asked softly.

"I can't go to sleep again," he said, his voice still rough.

Teyla tried to think of something to say, but the intensity with which John was looking at her left the words stuck in her throat. She didn't feel threatened, but something was not right here.

Suddenly, John rushed over to where she stood and pushed her against the wall, his lips claiming hers in a heated kiss.

Teyla couldn't deny that she had thought that John Sheppard was an attractive man, but this was not what she had imagined. She knew John was too much of a gentleman to ever do such a thing were his mind not addled by fever.

Finally, she managed to push him away. John stood there stunned for a moment, suddenly looking much more lucid.

"What just happened?" he asked, confused.

Teyla opened her mouth, trying to formulate an answer when John suddenly sat down on the floor, hard. She raced over to him, catching him as he listed sideways. At that moment, she heard horses and voices outside.

She released a sigh of relief. A moment later, Ronon and Carson came through the door, racing over when they saw Teyla kneeling on the floor, holding up John's weight.

"He decided to get out of bed just now. It did not go well," she said wryly, trying to put the kiss out of her mind for the moment. If John remembered the incident later, he would be mortified enough without the others knowing.

"Let's get the lad back into bed," Carson said, taking one of John's arms while Ronon took the other. "Rodney, did you grab my bag?"

Teyla was surprised when Rodney McKay walked in the door, not having heard the normally-loquacious scientist. Of course, a moment later McKay began complaining about being 'the only genius around here and yet had to be the servant'.

With a nearly unresponsive John Sheppard redeposited in the bed, Ronon headed out once again to do chores on all three homesteads, leaving Carson and Teyla to care for the sick man. On his way out the door, Ronon clapped Rodney on the back and steered him out, as well. Their argument (Ronon claiming that Rodney had lily-white girl hands while Rodney claimed he did more delicate tasks than 'ham-fisted farm chores') faded into the distance.

"Ah, blessed silence," Carson said into the air before reaching for his bag.

"I've done everything I could think of – wiping him down with cool water and giving him the herbs that my people used for fever," Teyla said, showing uncharacteristic vulnerability by wringing her hands as she spoke. She shared her theory about the infection with him.

"Ach, you've done a fine job, love," Carson said. "I've got a new medicine they call aspirin, so we'll give that a try next. Perhaps you could put the kettle on so we can have a cup of tea after we've given Mr. Sheppard his medicine."

Medicine administered, Carson and Teyla sat at the table drinking Athosian tea while John slept on. He seemed to have stilled for the moment. Both knew it would be a long night ahead, so they enjoyed the peace while they could.

The wind had picked up and darkness was falling by the time Ronon and Rodney returned. "Feels like a storm's coming," Ronon said as he shoved the door shut behind him. "Doc, if you want to get back to town tonight you'd better leave now."

Carson Beckett would be the first to admit that he wasn't the bravest man in the world, but he was also committed to his art. "I cannae leave now," he told Ronon. "I have a feeling things are going to get worse before they get better."

"Well, at least it's cozy in here with five people," Ronon said. No one was quite sure if he was joking or not. The cabin was cramped as it was only a single room built for one or two people. There was no question that they would know each other much better by the time they left.

O~o~O~o~O

_John opened his eyes slowly, feeling stunned. He couldn't remember how he had been captured, and he certainly didn't remember being tied to a chair. His head was pounding, and he felt both hot and cold. His eyes drifted closed again, and for a moment he felt a comforting hand on his brow. However, there was no one there when he opened his eyes again._

_There was nothing to look at, really. The room was a dull mud-color, lacking windows or any creature comforts. He couldn't even tell if it was day or night._

_A door creaked open behind John, and he could hear someone moving around behind him. Unable to turn, he wanted to speak but found he was gagged._

_The door suddenly slammed shut, and John couldn't help but jump at the loud bang. Someone behind him laughed, but still the man did not show himself._

_A presence loomed just behind him, and John stiffened, senses on alert._

_Delicately, fingers worked on something at the back of his head, and a moment later the gag fell away._

_"_ _What do you want?" he asked, his voice weaker and raspier than he had hoped._

_"_ _There are many things that I want, Colonel Sheppard," a man's voice said behind him. "But most of all, I want control of your city."_

_"_ _Not going to happen," John said, trying not to show his unease that his captor knew his name._

_"_ _I've heard of you," the voice said. "I heard that you took out an entire strike force of mine on your own."_

_Crap, John was getting a bad feeling about this. "Well, they attacked us. We were simply defending ourselves," he said._

_"_ _You see, I don't take kindly to being denied what I want," the man said, beginning to walk into John's vision. "But for now, I will give you something that you want: my name."_

_A man with a scarred face and dark, evil eyes bent down to John's eye level._

_"_ _My name is Acastus Kolya."_

TBC

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Up next: Big ol' hurts and comforts for our favorite colonel.


	15. Chapter 15

The wind now howled outside the cabin, rattling the small windows. Through the frosty glass, they could just make out tiny flakes of snow swirling through the air. Inside, the stove was fully stoked. When not nursing John, who still seemed unaware that there was a sizable party sharing his cabin, the others ate a dinner from the supplies that Ronon had picked up while at home. After cleaning up, he had wrapped himself in his deer-skin coat and fallen asleep almost immediately in a corner.

"I wish I could sleep like that," Rodney said. "I really do need a proper mattress, preferably a feather mattress."

Teyla smiled, having come to understand that Rodney was a talker but basically a good man once one moved past the bluster. "When there is necessity, you learn to sleep in any condition," she said, realizing that none of them really knew much about one another's pasts.

Just then, John whimpered and arched up on the bed.

All but Ronon rushed over to the bed. Sheppard was obviously in the deep throes of a nightmare. He tossed and turned, and Carson and Rodney tried to keep him from hurting himself while Teyla tried to cool him off.

Unfortunately, Carson had been right. The worst was yet to come.

O~o~O~o~O

_And then … there was pain. So much pain. John could not even say what was happening to him. Time lost meaning, and John knew nothing but suffering. He was not sure if he had been there hours, or days, or weeks. There was nothing but the pain._

_He tried not to give Kolya the satisfaction of seeing him suffer, but there were times when he could not contain his screams._

_Death would be the ultimate escape, but Kolya gave him no means that would allow him to go so easily. Finally, John realized that the only way for this to end was to get himself out of this mess. He was truly on his own._

O~o~O~o~O

John's mutterings increased in frequency and intensity throughout the night. Mostly, the others could not understand what he said, but occasionally shouts and even pleading became intelligible. Even Ronon could no longer sleep.

His friends could only watch helplessly as he screamed a blood-curdling scream that descended into sobs. He had finally quieted when he uttered a name: Kolya.

Everyone in the room gasped. "Surely the showdown in Atlantis wasn't enough to give him such nightmares," Carson said, shaken.

"He is delirious," Teyla said, her voice low with concern.

Ronon spoke up. "Lorne mentioned something about this back when Sheppard first arrived. Said he became agitated when Lorne told him about the Wraith Gang. At first he thought Sheppard was worried about the outlaws, but Sheppard only got upset when Kolya was mentioned."

Rodney snapped his fingers. "I remember reading about this in the newspapers. Before Kolya came west as an outlaw, he was the commander of the Genii regiment."

They all let that news sink in. The Genii soldiers had been infamous for their brutality and their disregard for the rules of engagement. Kolya had been most ruthless of all, and some reports claimed that he had personally tortured captured soldiers, sometimes for no other reason than to hear them scream.

"It is said that only two men ever escaped from Kolya," Teyla murmured, still continuing her ministrations.

"One was killed not long after when his location was given away…" Ronon supplied.

"…and the other might have been John Sheppard," Carson finished for him. "Poor bugger."

"And now it's almost as though we're there watching it happen all over again," Rodney said, shivering.

O~o~O~o~O

_In the end, the escape was easier than he thought it would be. Two guards, complacent in their surety that his spirit had already been crushed, never saw his attack coming. With weapons and a clear path, John left the bunker he had been held in and wandered aimlessly in the forest, no longer having the strength to care in which direction he headed._

_As the adrenaline of his escape wore off, John stumbled from tree to tree. Eventually, his strength left him and he crashed to the ground. He had no idea where he was, and whether he was in safe territory. His body was too broken to have the strength to worry now, and he closed his eyes._

_"_ _John," a woman's voice called from somewhere in the trees nearby. It sounded warm and kind. He had to remind himself that there was still kindness in the world after all he had been through. There was a deep rumbling and a strangely-accented voice in the distance behind the woman, but John did not feel threatened._

_"_ _You are nearly there, John," the woman (his mother? No, not his mother, but someone comforting) said. "Now just open your eyes._ "

_He could not deny that voice anything, so he opened his eyes._

O~o~O~o~O

Not one but two figures slowly came into focus as John peeled his eyes open and looked around. Nope, definitely not the forest despite being surrounded by walls of wood.

"Are you back with us this time, lad?" one of the figures asked him.

John's brow crinkled as he looked around. Two other people, who his brain finally recognized as Ronon and Rodney, hung in the background watching him apprehensively. What were all of these people doing in his home, and when did they arrive?

"John?" Teyla gently prompted. He turned his attention to her, and noted the worry in her eyes and fatigue in her posture.

"Hey," he managed before the roughness in his throat turned into a cough.

"Ugh, he's probably infectious, too, isn't he?" Rodney asked the room in general. The others chose to ignore his comment.

Carson slowly helped John sit up and Teyla gave him a cup of water to drink. When she saw the shaking of his hand, she gently placed her warm palm over his to steady the cup.

"Thanks," he said in a gravelly voice, already tired again.

"Your fever has broken, lad, but you'll probably be a bit wrung out for a while," Carson said kindly as he helped his friend to lie down again. John nodded and his eyes drifted closed.

Carson turned to Ronon and Rodney to discuss making some broth for John for the next time he awoke. As the men bickered about dinner plans, Teyla began stroking John's hair and quietly singing the songs of her people. This time, when John Sheppard fell asleep, he did not dream.

TBC


	16. Chapter 16

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Our heroes talk about feelings. As you can imagine, that goes well.

'A bit wrung-out' was an understatement, John decided. For several days, he could do nothing more than sleep, interspersed with brief moments of sipping broth and water. Carson and Rodney had returned to town as soon as the weather had cleared, but Teyla stayed to care for John while Ronon took care of the farm work.

Teyla knew John was truly recovering on the day that he asked who had been taking care of the animals while he had been ill.

"Ronon has been feeding the livestock. You have nothing to worry about," she told him.

John suddenly sat up and swung his feet to the floor, reaching for his trousers. "Has he been taking care of your farm, as well? That's too much work for one person."

Teyla could see trouble brewing. While John was much better, he was far from recovering his full strength. There was little chance he could make it to the door without falling over, much less take care of himself and his homestead at this point.

"John, you must relax and allow yourself to recover. Everything has been taken care of," she said soothingly.

But John continued his frantic search for his clothing, stopping only to ask, "No, it's okay. You guys have done more than enough for me already. You shouldn't have to spend time looking after me."

Teyla's brow crinkled. "We do not mind, John. Really."

It was his turn to look puzzled. "But why?"

After all of the revelations during the past few days, this was perhaps what tugged at her heart the most. John Sheppard seemed confused as to why anyone would value him. To make matters worse, he looked at her with puppy-dog eyes on a gaunt face, begging her for an explanation.

"Because we are your friends, John. We are family. You would do the same for us," she said, placing her hands on his cheeks and bending down to his eye-level. "Now, get back into bed. You need your rest."

This time he did not argue.

When John was once again asleep, Teyla unrolled her bed roll in front of the stove. Although John was much better, he still lacked the strength to walk more than a few steps on his own. So far he had not complained about her presence in his home, and so she stayed.

A little while later, a sudden noise made Teyla spring up, her heart pounding in her chest, relaxing only when she made out Ronon's familiar form framed by moonlight in the doorway. She took a deep breath and forced herself to relax.

"Peace," Ronon said softly. "I didn't realize you were sleeping already."

"Yes," Teyla murmured, feeling fatigue return as the adrenaline wore off.

"How's he doing?" Ronon asked, leaning over John. That proved to be a mistake.

Voices and a blast of cold air had woken John, but the remnants of fever kept him from thinking clearly. When he felt Ronon's presence over him, his military training kicked in From under the blankets he kicked Ronon in the shoulder, knocking him off-balance, while at the same time grabbing the ever-present gun from the holster at Ronon's side. He flung himself out of bed, landing on top of Ronon, and pressing his arm against the man's windpipe. With his other hand, he held the gun on the other person in the room.

Ronon shuddered involuntarily as the pale glow of a candle made Sheppard's eyes appear wild. Knowing he could take the sick man but not wanting the gun to go off in the process, Ronon managed to gasp, "Teyla, get outside."

But Teyla could see that things could easily get out of hand and firmly shook her head. "No," she said, much to Ronon's frustration. "You would not hurt me, would you, John?"

Upon hearing a feminine voice speak his name, John came back to the moment and realized that he was looking down his arm toward a gun aimed at Teyla. With a shocked gasp, he quickly set the gun on the ground and stared in disbelief.

Ronon took the opportunity to push the arm off of his throat, and John jumped as he realized what had happened. He slowly back away from Ronon, who now sat up rubbing his throat, until his back hit the bed.

"I'm sorry. Oh, God, I'm so sorry," John muttered as he tried to piece together the scene before him.

Quietly handing Ronon's gun back to him, Teyla knelt next to John and placed a hand on his shoulder. "It is all right, John," she said soothingly.

"No, no, oh God," John said. He began shaking as the severity of the events sunk in.

"Are you okay?" she asked Ronon, casting a critical eye over the man for injuries.

"I'm fine," he said with a quick shake of his head. "He wasn't at full strength."

With a tight nod, Teyla asked Ronon to stoke the fire while she pulled the quilt from where it had fallen onto the floor and wrapped it around the shaking man before her. She had seen this sort of behavior before, in those who had been traumatised by war or the Wraith. Certainly she and Ronon had similar moments in their pasts; they would make sure John Sheppard made it through this one.

She and Ronon finally managed to coax John off of the floor and into a chair by the fire while she boiled water for coffee. After exchanging a look, it was clear that the Satedan agreed with her assessment.

They sat in silence for a few minutes as the water warmed. Ronon busied himself scooping the coffee into the pot while Teyla sat beside John, rubbing a soothing hand over his back while he quietly stared into the flames.

With a cup warming his hands, John's shaking finally began to subside. Teyla and Ronon sat across from each other at the table and waited for John to speak in his own time.

Finally, Sheppard let out a shaky breath. "Thank God McKay wasn't here to see this," he said, laughing weakly.

"Dr. McKay does occasionally have the capacity for compassion," Teyla said, amused. John and Ronon both snorted.

Ronon then reached into his pocket and pulled out a tin flask, pouring a bit of the contents first into his cup and then into John's. He was about to put the flask away when he saw Teyla's raised eyebrow.

Quickly he uncorked the flask again and added some liquid courage to her coffee, too.

Seeing the looks on both of his friends' faces, Ronon shrugged. "Sometimes you need a bit of this stuff. This seems like one of those times."

They sat for a few minutes in companionable silence, but Teyla knew that soon uncomfortable truths would have to be addressed.

Biting her lip, she finally asked, "John, what happened?"

O~o~O~o~O

John stared awhile into the flames of the stove, worrying his bottom lip. He had always feared this question. He had given only the essential details to his superiors. He had never told anyone about the pain and the fear that still cropped up unexpectedly, prompted by nothing more than a faint smell or sound.

But this was Teyla and Ronon. So far, they had not judged him for anything other than the person he was now. God knows they had probably seen far worse than he ever had and had survived.

Looking up at the two sets of warm brown eyes patiently waiting for him, he took a leap of faith and began to speak.

O~o~O~o~O

The words poured forth, painting pictures that he had not dared to form even in his mind. He did not know how long he spoke, but suddenly he found himself without any more to say, and still his friends sat beside him. Rather than the pity or disdain he expected to see in their eyes, he found love and understanding. Suddenly tired from his flow of words, John folded his arms onto the table and lay his chin on top. He felt a strong hand clasp one shoulder and a more delicate touch on the other, and he was surprised to realize that neither touch bothered him. He closed his eyes and found himself feeling more at peace than he had in years.

Even more importantly, Teyla and Ronon were still here. He feared seeing pity in their eyes, but instead there was only understanding. Even in the years he spent married to Nancy, he never felt as connected as he did now. They had grown up in different worlds, yet he had truly found his people.

TBC

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Up next: Another familiar face arrives in Atlantis, but of course not without encountering trouble along the way. Teyla's superior ass-kicking skills come into play.


	17. Chapter 17

Ronon and Sheppard were propping up the bar in Sam's saloon when Rodney and Radek came in. Naturally, they were arguing. They sat down at their usual corner table without really noticing anyone else in the place.

Sheppard grinned and tilted his head in their direction. Ronon rolled his eyes, but picked up his drink and followed Sheppard to the table. John had quickly found a new favorite pastime in Rodney-baiting, and indulged in it whenever he had the chance.

"Rodney, do you realize how much each of those spools of copper wire will weigh?" Zelenka said, exasperated.

"Seven hundred thirty-four pounds," John said, taking a seat without waiting for an invitation. "That's pretty heavy."

"Of course I know that," Rodney snapped, before turning to John as if he just noticed the intrusion. "I'm just surprised that you did."

John grinned a cheeky grin.

"Exactly," Radek said. "That's too heavy to easily ship in to Pegasus Valley without incurring huge costs. We should find some other source for our wiring."

"We could just steal the telegraph lines from some other town," Ronon said, shrugging as he took another drink.

Rodney rolled his eyes. "Of course, you would think that. No, we need to order in those coils. It's the only way that cable can be purchased, and it's vital that we have it."

"Yes, but Rodney, the government has specially-built machinery for moving those coils around," Zelenka pointed out. "We don't have access to the same equipment."

As the two scientists pondered their predicament, John leaned forward. "Well, you two are geniuses. Why don't you design a machine that can be built here."

"Oh, please. Why does it always have to be me who solves all of this town's problems?" Rodney exclaimed, throwing up his hands.

"Well, I understand if you don't think you can do this," John said nonchalantly. "But I have complete faith in Radek's abilities."

Rodney sputtered while Zelenka gave him a superior smile. Within seconds, the two were bent over a scrap of paper, arguing back and forth.

Satisfied that his work spurring on geniuses was done for the moment, John sat back and watched the rest of the saloon's patrons. There was still plenty of daylight left, but he could see that the sun had passed its zenith. He thought a moment longer, a bad feeling forming.

"It's getting late, isn't it?" he remarked calmly to Ronon. The other man obviously picked up on his meaning instantly.

"Maybe we should check with Lorne," Ronon suggested. The two men quickly finished their drinks and left the oblivious scientists to the job of designing a new vehicle.

Three days earlier, Teyla had walked into town and taken the stagecoach to the nearest railroad line, more than thirty miles away. A friend she had known while working for the military was coming to visit for the summer, and Teyla thought it best to meet her at the train rather than braving the stagecoach line alone. Teyla loved Jennifer dearly, but she was not sure that her friend was truly ready for life on the frontier.

John and Ronon had brought the wagon into town today to ferry Teyla and Jennifer (as well as Jennifer's luggage) back home again. The stagecoach was due to arrive around lunchtime, but it was mid-afternoon now. Stagecoaches ran late far more often than they actually arrived on-time, but something told John that this delay was something more than a late start.

Lorne was standing out on the shaded porch of the mercantile when John and Ronon approached.

"You waiting for the stage, too?" John asked. In addition to running the store, Lorne also acted as the town's postmaster, passing along the letters that arrived weekly.

"Yeah. You're here for Teyla and her friend?" he replied.

Both men nodded a quick affirmative.

"Is it always this late?" John asked.

Lorne shrugged. "Not usually, but you never can tell with these things." He had picked up on John's cautionary tone.

"Maybe we should ride out, take a look from Central Tower," John said. Central Tower was the highest point in the area and would give them a good view of the trail for quite some way.

"Good idea," Lorne said. "I think I'll ride out with you. Chuck can mind the store for a while."

John and Ronon quickly unhitched Jumper One and Jumper Two from the wagon and borrowed saddles for the ride out. Lorne met them on the Main Street.

"Let's move out," John said.

Twenty minutes later, the three men sat atop their horses and stared out into terrain in front of them. Despite being able to see for miles, there was no sign of the stagecoach or any riders. Normally, John would enjoy this view. He took a moment to watch an eagle take off nearby and climb into the sky. To be able to fly like that…

Lorne's brow crinkled. "If the stage is delayed for more than an hour or so in The Springs, they cable us. I checked just before we left. It's been several hours, but there hasn't been any word."

This was not good. A plan quickly formed in John's mind.

"Go back and cable the stage company for confirmation that they left," he said to Lorne. "Ronon and I are going to ride out there. If they tell you that the stage left or if they take too long to reply, gather some men and ride out after us. They could be in trouble."

"Yes, sir," Lorne said with a sharp nod, unable to break the habit that started when he met Sheppard. Somehow the man commanded his respect.

The three men parted ways at the base of the trail. John was pleased to see that Lorne put spur to horse to hurry him back to town. Without another glance, John and Ronon did the same in the opposite direction.

O~o~O~o~O

It had been so wonderful to see a familiar (and female) face coming down the stairs of the train. Jennifer had no trouble spotting Teyla's exotic looks in the crowd, and the women were soon embracing.

"Gosh, it's so strange to think that I'm finally here," Jennifer gushed. "The mountains seem so far from Chippewa Falls."

"It is a different life," Teyla admitted. "I hope you enjoy your time here."

"I'm sure I will," Jennifer said enthusiastically. "It has been far too long since we've seen each other."

"I agree," Teyla said warmly. After engaging a teenage boy to move Jennifer's luggage over to the town's hotel, the two women left the station arm-in-arm to explore the town.

In a world full of pain and loss, Teyla found Jennifer's innocence and unbridled enthusiasm a refreshing change. She knew that Jennifer did not always understand the difficulties that Teyla faced as an outsider in this world, but now they were in Teyla's territory.

Early the next morning, the two women took their places on the stagecoach that was headed to Pegasus Valley. "Wow!" Jennifer said as they took their seats. "This is just like I read about in the serials back home!"

Teyla smiled but decided not to point out that those stories usually involved stagecoaches being ambushed before a dashing young hero swept in to save the day and get the girl.

The first two hours passed by pleasantly. The sun was not yet too hot, and the two women watched the scenery pass in companionable silence. They were joined by a slightly older gentleman, who did not speak to them but occasionally cast glances that suggested that he didn't approve of something. Teyla debated internally whether he disapproved of her or of two women travelling alone.

Teyla chose to ignore the man and sat back to watch the landscape pass by their window. However, a little while later she sat forward as her senses suddenly tingled.

Something was about to happen.

TBC


	18. Chapter 18

John and Ronon pushed their horses hard, covering much of the stagecoach's route at a full-out gallop.

As they approached the entrance to another valley, John put up his hand and slowed his horse. Ronon followed suit, and soon all that could be heard was the snuffling of the animals as they reacted to the change of pace.

Slowly, they walked their horses up over the hill, surveying their surroundings as they went.

John sucked in a breath as they spotted the stage sitting quietly in the middle of the trail. Its horses were gone, and there was no movement nearby. Ronon swore under his breath. Silently, John followed Ronon as he rode down into the valley, moving quietly and keeping an eye out for any movement in rocks along the valley rim.

Their speed increased as they neared the vehicle. Someone's shoulder was visible over the front running board, and as they found another body that had apparently slumped out of its seat after being shot. The driver and guard were dead.

"Markham and Stackhouse," Ronon said quietly, recognizing both faces. "They were good men."

John quietly exhaled and dismounted. The scene was surreal – too much death for such a tranquil setting.

The passenger door hung open, squeaking as it swayed slightly in the breeze. A quick look showed that there was no one inside. Something inside John relaxed slightly. At least the passengers had been able to get out. Just where they were, though, was another question.

A quiet moan caught the attention of both men. Moving as one, they quietly readied their guns and followed the sound toward the trees that stood several yards away.

Through some trampled grass, John could see a person on the ground. Confident that Ronon had his back, John quietly parted the grass, rushing forward when he saw a man.

The man was older, dressed in fine clothing that instantly told John he must have been one of the passengers. He had obviously been shot through the chest, and one shaking hand clutched weakly at the shirt over the wound.

There was nothing they could do for him until help arrived, so it was best to get information now. "What happened?" John asked as Ronon continued to scan the surrounding territory.

"The Wraith Gang," the man said breathlessly. Then he laughed mirthlessly. "I was sent out here to evaluate the Wraith problem and try to figure out what the law could do. I thought the reports were exaggerated. I guess I was wrong."

It was Ronon's turn to speak. "Were there two women with you?"

The man nodded slightly. "I didn't think that two women should be travelling unaccompanied like that. Turns out, one of them was a real fighter. I've never seen anything like it."

John and Ronon exchanged a look. "Do you know where they are now?" John asked, fearing the answer.

"Up that way," the man said, using his eyes to point up the forested slope. "I think she was trying to draw them away from me."

With that, John grabbed his shotgun and prepared to stand. First, though, he put a hand on the man's shoulder. "It'll be okay. Help should be arriving soon. Just hang tight until then."

He stood to leave, then thought that he had better ask, in case the man didn't survive the next few hours. "By the way, what's your name?"

"Dillion Everett," the man said before coughing weakly.

John gave a tight nod. "Don't worry, Mr Everett. We'll be back."

With another silent exchange, John and Ronon ran up the hill in the direction that Everett had indicated. Teyla was an incredible fighter when she needed to be, but she was most likely outnumbered and was responsible for another, less capable person.

They were just about to pass over the rise when they heard a sharp crack followed by shouting. They picked up their pace and hurried forward. John felt his heart leap into his throat when he saw the scene before him.

Teyla stood in the middle of a clearing, one stout stick in each hand. She was surrounded by half a dozen men, some of whom wore lecherous expressions. Another three lay on the ground, motionless. What truly struck John, though, was that there was no sign of panic or terror on Teyla's face, just quiet determination and a hint of anger.

Just then, several of the men moved forward. Teyla swung her sticks while kicking out in the opposite direction. One man swung a bent rifle at her, perhaps evidence of earlier events. Teyla managed to duck his swing, but another man swept her feet out from under her. She went down hard but did not cease in her fight.

Now that Teyla was out of the line of fire, John and Ronon didn't hesitate to begin shooting. Three men dropped in moments, and another two turned toward the shots but were slow to return fire. In the meantime, Teyla grabbed a dropped knife and stabbed the last man in the leg. He immediately went for his own knife, but Teyla was faster. Without a pause, she drew her blade across her assailant's throat, and John swore he heard a stunned gasp from somewhere in the trees.

All fell quiet in the clearing, the silence only broken by the rustling of the wind through the trees and the labored breathing of the victors. Teyla shoved the final body off of her but did not stand.

Ronon and John ran over to her. "You okay?" Ronon asked, looking her over for injuries.

Teyla paused for a moment as if stunned. "Yes, I believe I am unhurt," she said finally. She accepted a hand up and turned toward the trees. "Jennifer, it is safe to come out."

John followed her gaze and saw a blond head pop out from behind a tree. The petite figure of a woman soon emerged, obviously somewhat shaken as she picked her way across the forest floor to where they stood.

Ronon strode forward to give her a hand over a fallen tree, and John couldn't help but smirk slightly as Jennifer looked up at Ronon and whispered an awestruck, "Thank you."

"Are there any more out there?" John asked Teyla. When she shook her head negatively, he said, "We should go back and stay with the stage until help arrives."

"Oh, the other man who was with us!" Jennifer said suddenly. "I think he's hurt."

"Jennifer is a skilled doctor," Teyla told them. "Perhaps she can help him."

With a nod from John, Ronon accompanied Jennifer back over the ridge. Sighing, Teyla turned back to John.

"I hope he is still alive. It will give her something to focus on."

"He was still hanging on when we got here," John said. "There should be others from Atlantis here shortly."

John pulled his canteen from his hip and a bandana from a pocket. Wetting the material, he handed it to Teyla so she could clean a cut on her cheek. Something was weighing on her mind, and he wanted to give her a moment to compose herself.

"That man," Teyla said finally, gesturing to one of the bodies on the ground, "he was among those who destroyed my village and hurt many of my people."

"They're Wraith?" John asked, sure that he already knew the answer.

Teyla nodded faintly. "Yes."

He sighed, trying to think of what to say. "Well, at least there are fewer of them now."

"Yes."

"Are you sure that you're all right?" he asked. The brown leather coat that she wore over her dress didn't show any signs of blood, but then she was wearing a lot of layers.

"I will be," she said, and together they began following Ronon and Jennifer's trail.

"I don't know how you can fight in a dress," John blurted out. "They sure don't look comfortable."

A tiny smile formed on Teyla's lips. "They are not. Why do you think I do not dress like this at home?"

"Ah," John replied. To be fair, he hadn't given it much thought before, but he definitely wasn't complaining.

Not long afterward, the first riders from Atlantis reached their location. John stepped aside with Lorne for a conference.

"It looks like a Wraith attack. Teyla recognized one of the men from the attack that wiped out her village," John said quietly. Both men stole a quick glance at Teyla, who was watching Jennifer treat Mr. Everett. Ronon moved beside her and quietly asked a question, which she answered with a quick glance and nod.

"Is Miss Emmagen okay?" Lorne asked.

"If she's not, she will be," John said with determination. "She's a fighter, and not just in the sense that she took on a whole group of men alone in the woods."

Lorne nodded. John had great admiration for the shopkeeper, not least because he treated everyone in Pegasus Valley as equals regardless of their background – unlike some of the inhabitants of Atlantis that he could think of. "So what were they after?" John asked, getting back to business.

"I took a moment to speak with Peter Grodin before I left," Lorne said. "Originally, there was supposed to be a bank shipment today, but that was changed three weeks ago."

The luggage had been rifled through, most likely for valuables, but most of the contents appeared to be there. John knew that Teyla had advised Jennifer not to bring jewelry or expensive items with her, so they hadn't gotten away with much there. The mail bag still looked intact, too.

"It doesn't look like they got away with much except the horses," Lorne said, looking as puzzled as John felt. "This doesn't make any sense. Why risk losing men just for a couple of horses?"

"Either we're missing something, or they didn't find what was meant to be here. Maybe they're getting desperate," John said. "Let's go take a look; there should be more horses here."

By the time John and a few other riders returned with five horses that had been tied up in a nearby valley (the others apparently having bolted), a wagon from Atlantis and the riders from The Springs had arrived.

O~o~O~o~O

A somber procession made its way back along the trail to Atlantis. Jennifer and Teyla rode in the back of the wagon with the luggage and mail while a couple of the men from Atlantis drove the horses. The rest of the riders on the trail were spread before and behind the wagon as guards, most with an extra horse trailing behind.

Jennifer looked up at the sound of trotting hooves. The dark-haired man named John Sheppard had pulled up alongside the wagon and was now looking down at them with a concerned look on his face.

"Is she all right?" he asked quietly, nodding toward Teyla, who was asleep in the bottom of the wagon, wedged firmly between Jennifer's trunk and the woman herself.

Jennifer nodded. "She appears to have some minor bruising, but she'll be fine. She's probably just tired. That was quite a showdown out there."

John nodded, and Jennifer's heart clenched as she realized that such fights, which could ultimately end in death, were a part of life for some people. She had spent her life around soldiers, growing up wherever her father was stationed as an Army doctor, but had rarely seen more than a sterilized aftermath of events. She was having a hard time reconciling the warmth and kindness of her friend with the woman who had drawn a blade across a man's throat only hours before.

Jennifer took a moment to study John's features. They had only received a brief introduction back at the site of the hold-up, and Jennifer's mind had been spinning with recent events and the first meeting of Teyla's very good looking brother. She could see that John Sheppard was also good looking, and Jennifer began to wonder how one Western town could have so many handsome men.

Until now, there had been an underlying hardness in John's eyes as he continually scanned their surroundings for threats. Now, as he watched Teyla sleep, assured that she was unharmed, Jennifer saw a soft look pass over his face and a small smile form on his lips. She had to admit that her heart fluttered a bit in envy of her friend. Feeling secure with these men around her, she hid a smile of her own and turned back to watch the road pass by.

TBC

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Up next: Jennifer meets the people of Atlantis, Rodney opens his mouth, and John tries communicating with another human being.


	19. Chapter 19

After the Wraith attack on the stagecoach and the long journey back to Atlantis, the group decided to stay in the Atlantis hotel for the night. Teyla rolled her eyes when John insisted that he and Ronon would take the room closest to the stairs, but it was only once they were all settled in their rooms that Teyla explained the situation to Jennifer.

"He wants to protect us, that is all. Anyone trying to sneak into our room must pass them first," she said. Then she pitched her voice and leaned toward the thin wall between the two rooms: "…even though we can take care of ourselves."

"Humor me," came John's muffled reply through the wall.

Jennifer's eyes were wide. "Are attacks a problem here in Atlantis?"

Teyla shook her head. "No, today was unusual. Let us hope that the rest of your visit is very uneventful."

"Yeah, I don't think I'm going to tell my dad about today," Jennifer said.

After stopping by the telegraph office in order to allow Jennifer to wire her father about her safe arrival, the group headed over to the saloon for dinner.

Upon seeing Carson eating dinner, Teyla led Jennifer over to his table to introduce them. Carson was immediately glad to have a fellow practitioner in the area.

"We're happy to have you here, love," he told her. "Maybe now I won't have to make so bloody many emergency calls to the far ends of Pegasus Valley."

Jennifer turned to Teyla with wide eyes, and Carson immediately corrected her assumption.

"Ach, no, love, it isn't Teyla. If you ask me, she's the only sane one in the lot of them. It's the others who seem to attract trouble like moths to a flame."

The women returned to their table with the arrival of their dinners, and everyone seemed happy to eat silently. For her part, Teyla was glad of it as the tension of the day left her body only to be replaced with a bone-deep weariness. She could not even finish her meal, but Ronon was happy to take over for her.

Exhausted and feeling stifled surrounded by so many loud, happy people, Teyla announced that she was going back to the hotel for the night. Knowing that John and Ronon liked to make the most of their time in town, she merely intended to ask them to keep an eye on Jennifer and make sure she returned to the hotel safely. To her surprise, John declared that he was tired, too, and that he was ready to turn in. Ronon and Jennifer quickly agreed.

Teyla had felt John's eyes on her throughout the meal, and she had fought back annoyance, telling herself that he was merely concerned about her. Now, she tried arguing with the men, not wanting them to give up their entertainment on her account, but they both insisted that they, too, were tired.

Together, the group headed back to the hotel, passing Rodney as he came up the stairs to the saloon.

"McKay," Sheppard said in greeting.

"Oh, hi!" McKay said, apparently too lost in thought to notice them earlier. Seeing Teyla amongst the group, he added, "Wow, I heard about the stagecoach hold-up today. Everyone said you were amazing! Weren't you nervous about that many guys…"

"MCKAY!" Sheppard said forcefully, interrupting the scientist's rant when he saw Teyla squirm uncomfortably.

"What? Oh … hi, I'm Dr. Rodney McKay, the resident genius in these parts," he said, finally noticing Jennifer.

"Rodney, this is Jennifer Keller, a friend of mine who is visiting from Wisconsin. She is a medical doctor," Teyla said as Rodney shook Jennifer's hand.

"Oh, thank goodness!" Rodney exclaimed. "Now I can get a second opinion whenever that quack Carson dismisses my ailments."

"That's because they're usually in yer head, Rodney," Carson said, amused, as he stepped out of the saloon to head home. Jennifer bit back a smile, realizing that this must be a common argument between the two men as neither seemed antagonistic.

"I'm sure that Dr. Beckett knows what he's doing," she said gently. Turning to Carson, she added, "However, I would be happy to help out if ever needed."

"Thank you, love. I would be happy to take you up on that offer," Carson said.

They all wished each other a good night and parted ways. Moments later, Teyla and her friends were back in the hotel, and she had to reach into her reserves of strength to even get ready for bed.

"You know, I'm really happy for you," Jennifer said as she combed her hair.

"Hmm?" Teyla asked as she climbed into bed, already half-asleep.

"I know life was difficult for you, especially after your village was destroyed," Jennifer said. "But here, you have a home, people who really care about you. Most people can only wish they were so lucky."

"Yes," Teyla said softly, smiling. Jennifer was right – she was lucky. For the first time, she felt at peace with the events of the day. Jennifer was here and John and Ronon would make sure nothing happened to either one of them. Best of all, tomorrow they would be home.

O~o~O~o~O

One evening a couple of weeks after the rescue, Teyla and John sat quietly at her table after the dinner dishes had been cleared away. Jennifer was at Ronon's, as she often was these days. Finding that the house was too quiet and lonely without her friend, Teyla was pleased that John had come over this evening. While she worked on some mending, John strummed his guitar, practicing his fingerings over and over again when he made a mistake.

During a pause in the music when John stopped to take a sip of coffee, Teyla put down her sewing and faced John square on. He saw that she wished to say something and slowly put down his coffee cup.

For a moment, Teyla studied her fingers. With a deep breath, she looks up into John's eyes.

"Thank you, for coming after us the other day," she said.

John shrugged self-consciously.

"I knew you would come," she continued. "I knew that help would soon be there. I didn't need to win the fight, just hold them off."

He laughed slightly. "You seemed to be doing a pretty good job by yourself."

Teyla smiled a self-conscious smile. She was not overly proud of possessing such fighting skills, but they had kept her alive this long.

"Nonetheless, the tide can rarely be turned by one person alone," she said.

John shrugged. "There's no need to thank me. We didn't have to think about a course of action. It was just … the only course of action that I could contemplate."

"John, you must understand: Not everyone in Atlantis would do such a thing for me. Despite everyone's kindness, there have been times when I felt very much like an outsider here."

"I've always trusted you," he said matter-of-factly. He thought about Bates and the unsubstantiated claims he had brought against Teyla, and he could not fathom how anyone would be stupid enough to believe the man when Teyla had already given this community so much.

"Yes, you have," she said with conviction.

By now, John was studying his own coffee cup intently. "Look, Teyla. I'm not really good at, uh," he paused, rethinking his words, "…actually, I'm terrible at expressing ... I don't know what you'd call it …"

Teyla had an idea of where he was going with this: "Feelings?"

"Yeah," said John with a head bob that suggested he wasn't as sure as she was. "The point is, I don't really have good, uh ..."

"Communication skills?"

He nodded again. "I guess that is why I enjoy living by myself at the edge of the wilderness. But what I wanted to say is that everyone in Atlantis is a friend, even McKay, but you and Ronon are the closest thing I have to family.

"I'd do anything, for either one of you, even if it meant giving up my life for you."

Teyla smiled, fighting back the tears that stung her eyes. She and Ronon had an unbreakable bond, but never before had someone made such a declaration out loud to her.

John awkwardly reached out and patted her hand. For a moment, she covered his hand with hers, giving it a squeeze to show her appreciation. Without another word, he picked up the guitar again and she began humming the tune he played as she returned to her sewing.

TBC

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Up next: Ronon and John get drunk and share secrets.


	20. Chapter 20

Despite spending so much time together, the people of Atlantis, including Ronon, Teyla, and John, didn't know much about each other's pasts before they had arrived here. Especially after the fever episode, everyone was curious about Sheppard's life but he was as tight-lipped as ever. "Everyone here has a story, but most don't talk about it," Carson had explained once in the saloon. "This is our new chapter." Those who had come out West seeking to forget suffering in their lives understood his need to bottle up the memories and leave them behind. Ronon never pushed his friend, but one day he learned more than he ever thought possible from a person who played his cards so close to his chest.

Ronon thought back to that night, when it had just been him and Sheppard lounging in hammocks that they had strung up in trees near the stream, drinking Zelenka's moonshine as the sun went down. Jennifer had recently expressed an interest in Rodney McKay and had moved into town to assist Carson in his medical practice, so Ronon was feeling slightly sorry for himself. Teyla was away visiting some of the few Athosian survivors, leaving him and John to entertain themselves. The strong brew loosened their tongues, and both men spoke more about their pasts to each other than ever before, even though Ronon was sure that all of the liquor in the world wouldn't be enough to coax his friend into talking about some things.

They had both been studying the rapidly darkening sky above them, listening to the wind swishing through the leaves of the trees and the water rushing past them. The wind ruffled John's hair and brought some relief from the heat of the day, and he allowed the gentle swaying of the hammock to relax him as he studied the stars becoming visible in the sky. He had always been fascinated by them, wanting more than anything to be able to reach out and touch them, to fly amongst them…

"You think we'll ever be free of the Wraith Gang?" Ronon asked in an uncharacteristic moment of candor.

"Sure," John said, surprising himself with his confidence. "After all, they're men like us."

"No, they're not men," Ronon said bitterly. "They don't even deserve to be called human. They have no compassion. They destroy everything. They even try to take your heart and soul."

John looked over to where he could make out Ronon's reclining form in the twilight. He knew that Ronon's village had been destroyed, same as Teyla's, but in Ronon's case only he had been spared because he had been out hunting when the massacre took place.

"Everything was burnt to the ground when I got back that day. No one was alive," Ronon said in a low voice, as if reading John's thoughts. John shivered in the cooling night air. "One look and I started running. I don't even remember where I went. I just ran, for days. Even when I was too tired to run any more, I couldn't stop moving.

"For years, I just kept going. I must have been searching for something, because I didn't stop until I met Teyla fleeing her own loss, and then we found Atlantis. It's the first place I found that felt like home since Sateda was destroyed, although there are some days when I just want to head up into the hills and start running again."

John knew that the destruction of Ronon's village must have been shocking, but there seemed to be something more. His parents had died while he had worked as a hunter and scout for the Army…

"You leave someone behind?" John asked. "A wife?"

He could barely see Ronon's shrug. "Close enough."

They lay for a while in silence, Ronon remembering Melena. Then he turned his head and studied his friend a few feet away. Sheppard also seemed lost in thought.

"What about you?" he asked. He couldn't imagine that a man like John Sheppard hadn't had many women in love with him. "You leave someone back East?"

"I was married once, you know," John said.

"Really?" Ronon said, surprised. Sheppard had never mentioned it in the couple of years that they had known each other.

John gave a bitter laugh. "Yeah, I wasn't very good at it, though. Always off to war…"

And bearing the pain in silence, Ronon thought. Instead, he asked, "What happened?"

"She was a society girl. Our parents approved of our marriage, thought it was a smart match. My father was certain that once my military enlistment was up, I would come to my senses and join the family business. Thought Nancy would tame me. But I didn't want to be the person that everyone else expected me to be. There was a nice up-and-coming government official interested in her, and he didn't mind marrying a divorced woman. So, once I was sure she'd be okay, we divorced."

"And you came out here," Ronon concluded.

"After a while, yeah," John said vaguely.

Of course Sheppard would have made sure that his ex-wife was taken care of before they went their separate ways. That was just the sort of man Sheppard was, always looking out for others, no matter the personal cost to himself. Ronon hoped that the bonds that he had forged in the Pegasus Valley would help renew the man's spirit in the same way that it had renewed his own.

"So what about you and Teyla?" Ronon asked. He could see John's form jerked, and he grinned as he realized his friend had nearly fallen out of his hammock.

"What about us?" John replied. "I distinctly remember being threatened with bodily harm."

Ronon remembered that moment well. He hadn't known then what kind of man Sheppard was, or realized how Sheppard's arrival in Pegasus Valley would impact their lives. Ronon's respect for the man had only grown through all of their shared labor and fighting side by side for their homes. If any two people deserved happiness, it was Teyla and John.

Ronon figured this was as close as he'd get to an affirmation of the man's feelings. "Only if you hurt her," he replied before both friends returned to their thoughts and the stars above them.

O~o~O~o~O

Teyla hummed as she sat in Halling's tent, weaving a basket for her friend. Halling and his son Jinto were among the few surviving Athosians. Unlike Teyla, they had opted to remain in the mountains with fellow survivors near the ruins of their old village. At times, Teyla felt as though she was losing her connection with her people, but no one could deny that her path lay along a different route.

"You are happy," Halling observed as he finished smoothing a new axe handle.

"Of course," Teyla said. "It is good to be with you again, old friend."

"And you are always welcome here," Halling said. Teyla was grateful that he did not begrudge her move to Atlantis. "But I do not think it is just that."

Teyla put down the basket and studied her friend. Halling acted nonchalant, but she could see a twinkle in his eye.

"Life is good and I have much to be thankful for," she acknowledged. "The Ancestors have blessed me with bountiful harvests and peace in my life."

"And perhaps a certain cavalry man from the East?" Halling asked slyly.

"I am not sure of what you speak," Teyla said, dropping her gaze to hide her blush.

Halling chuckled. "Please, Teyla. As you say, we are friends here. Do not think I have not noticed that you have a brighter spirit on this visit. You have mentioned John Sheppard many times over the past few days. He sounds like a good man."

"He is a good man," Teyla said, chin lifted.

Halling laughed and leaned back in his chair. "Well, he makes you happy and Ronon approves of him. What more could you wish?"

What more, indeed? The two friends once again bent their heads over their work.

TBC


	21. Chapter 21

"McKay!" John called through the door that stood slightly ajar, knocking on the door frame. There was no answer to his greeting, but inside he could hear the clatter of something dropping and the beginning of another McKay rant. He decided to invite himself in.

"Meredith!" he called again as he entered the workroom at the back of the house. Lorne had gleaned that bit of information when McKay's sister had sent the scientist a letter addressed to 'Dr Meredith Rodney McKay', and John had not wasted this gift. Caught off-guard, McKay jumped and once again dropped the metal plate he had been holding.

"Honestly, what is the problem with you people?" he shouted. "Do you always just let yourself into people's houses? You could at least pretend to be civilized."

"No, Rodney," John replied patiently. "People usually answer the door when people knock."

"Thank you!" Zelenka added from his work station in the corner. "I tell him that, but he always insists it is my fault."

"Whatever," McKay said, sensing he was losing the battle. "I don't have time to play butler, anyway."

Desperately wanting to take that opening, John instead focused on the business at hand. Teyla would be so proud when he told her of his restraint. "You said you wanted me to look at something," he reminded the scientist.

"Yeah, just give me a moment," Rodney said, hefting the metal plate back onto the table.

John took a moment to look around Rodney's workroom. The walls were covered with shelves, which in turn housed a variety of gadgets in various states of repair. A few things he recognized, but John was pretty sure even Rodney didn't know the purpose for half of them. Still, the man was clever and always inventing something new.

Reaching out for one particularly intriguing object, John jerked his hand back when McKay snapped, "Don't even think about touching that."

John huffed. "Well, why did you call me here if all I have to do is sit around not touching anything? I have things to do, you know," he told Rodney.

McKay snorted.

"There!" Rodney exclaimed, holding up his invention in triumph minutes later. It looked like the breastplates of armor worn by medieval knights. However, this creation had creative hinges that allowed for fairly full coverage without hindering movement.

"Yeah?" John asked, somewhat skeptical. "It will be really helpful in case Kolya takes up jousting."

Rodney rolled his eyes. "I'll have you know this is a highly advanced piece of equipment here. I've designed a special alloy that should stand up to a bullet."

"Should?" John asked, fixating on what he viewed as an important detail.

"Well, we haven't tried it yet. That's why you're here," Rodney said, shoving the metal contraption at John.

John grabbed it, surprised at how light it was. While he trusted Rodney to be brilliant, he wanted a bit more proof. Plus, Rodney couldn't shoot straight to save his life. John didn't trust him to hit the vest.

"How about not?" John said. "McKay, you need to be sure about this before trying to shoot someone."

"But how else are we going to test it?" Rodney asked.

"I don't know! Make a scarecrow or something," John suggested.

Rodney's eyes lit up. "Oh! The two of you could have matching hair!"

John's patience was wearing slightly. "Just get it done. I would hate to shoot you instead of the scarecrow."

"Well, I plan on standing behind you," Rodney said triumphantly.

"Accidents happen," John growled. Zelenka chuckled.

While McKay and Sheppard were building their test subject, Zelenka went around to the neighbors' houses to alert them. However, they were used to explosions and other strange noises coming from McKay's house at all hours, so no one seemed particularly worried.

About 20 minutes later, Rodney had created a simple body using straw-stuffed clothing attached to a post for support. He was especially proud of his final flourish, using charcoal to darken the stems sticking off the top of the scarecrow's head. Since John was the man with a gun, no one chose to comment on the similarities.

"You two go around the corner of the house," John ordered McKay and Zelenka as he readied his weapon.

"Why?" McKay argued. "I need to see what happens."

"Well, McKay," Sheppard said dryly, "if this armor is as good as you say it is, that means the bullets might bounce off. When they ricochet, there's no telling where they'll go. I don't want to have to be the one to explain things to Doctor Beckett."

Taking aim, John shot five bullets at the armor. McKay counted the resulting pings, wondering if he would be digging bullets out of the wooden siding. At least none of his windows had shattered.

Sheppard called the all-clear, and together the men walked forward to examine the armor. Four dents were clearly visible. McKay noticed that they were all clustered over where the heart would be. None of them had pierced the breastplate.

"Looks like you're right, it works," John said, slapping McKay on the back.

"Well of course it works. I made it," the scientist replied, indignant.

"There are only four marks here, but there were five shots," Zelenka pointed out. McKay grinned at Sheppard, waiting to hear his excuse.

Sheppard merely pointed with his chin to the pile of straw that was the head. He had shot clean through forehead just beneath the simulated hair.

"Not bad; now, if you could just make another 30 or so of those vests, that would be great," John said, putting his dirty black hat back on his head. "Good day, gentlemen."

McKay sputtered after him while Zelenka shook his head and muttered. There was a lot of work ahead of them.

TBC


	22. Chapter 22

Preparations for defending Atlantis proceeded quickly after that, spurred on by the optimism of McKay's newest invention. Hunters, including Ronon and Teyla's contacts, reported back with any Wraith Gang sightings. Everyone carried at least a sidearm: Even Rodney McKay learned to shoot (fairly) straight under John's patient tutelage. Battle plans were drawn up. A rota of volunteer sentries were posted along key routes into the valley, with a pair of Radek's racing pigeons kept at each post in case they needed to communicate quickly. Atlantis would not go down without a fight.

One of John's plans for defense of the valley included planting explosives at narrow passages that could be set off by the sentries, allowing the residents to divert the Wraith Gang's access to Pegasus Valley. Personally, John hoped the ensuing explosions might take out a few Wraith at the same time.

Lorne, Sheppard and Ronon spent hours poring over maps, debating the most efficient places to place dynamite. Finally, they were ready for an expert to place the explosives, and Lorne promised that he knew someone locally who was up to the job.

On the appointed morning, Sheppard rode out to meet Lorne and the demolitions expert. He was a bit surprised when he saw Lorne approaching with Laura Cadman riding her own horse a few feet behind.

"Uh, mornin'?" he said a bit awkwardly. He knew that Miss Cadman could get the attention of a roomful of people with a whistle, as she had been known to do at the town's Christmas gathering, but he didn't realize she was military.

Cadman grinned as she hopped down off her saddle, her special riding skirts allowing her to ride like any man. "Good morning, Colonel. Were you expecting someone else?" she asked sweetly. Not waiting for an answer, she began examining the nearby walls of the gully to decide where to place the charges.

"Didn't know that was her specialty," John said to Lorne, shrugging, when he turned back to find the other man struggling not to laugh at him.

"Well, she is the best in town for this sort of thing," Lorne explained. "We served together during the war."

"Really?" John said, surprised.

Cadman overheard them as she came back to fetch a pencil and notebook from her saddlebag. "Trust me, no one ever thinks to look up a woman's skirt for a bit of dynamite strapped to a leg," she said with a big wink at Sheppard. Lorne snorted, accustomed to her saucy attitude.

True to Lorne's word, Cadman was soon bent over her notebook making complex calculations on placement and amounts of explosives needed. It didn't take long before Radek and Sam's special concoction of dynamite was carefully placed and fuses connected.

"There, let the bastards come," Cadman said, patting the rock face. She looked back at Sheppard and Lorne, who watched her expectantly. "Ready for the next one?"

O~o~O~o~O

It was just over a week later that the Wraith Gang attacked Atlantis.

They hit hard. They hit fast. Atlantis was ready for them.

TBC

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Up next: The Wraith and Lanteans meet on the field of battle. There can be only one winner.


	23. Chapter 23

The first inkling of trouble that anyone had was the low rumble that John heard in the distance as he chopped wood one cool afternoon. Stopping what he was doing, he wiped a hand across his sweaty forehead as he strained his ears to hear more. For a moment, everything was silent before another low rumble broke the stillness.

It could just be a small avalanche. It was probably something more.

Wasting no time, John ran into his cabin and threw on his coat. He grabbed the shotgun and other weapons he kept prepared by the doorway, strapping them on as quickly as he could.

He raced outside. Briefly he considered riding bareback, but he knew he would make better time and avoid injury by saddling his horse.

He rushed through the preparations, heart pounding as he contemplated the rumble. It sounded like it had come from the same mountain path he and Ronon had travelled on their hunting trip when they became trapped in the mine. He ran through a mental map of the area beyond the mine, trying to calculate where the Wraith would next try to access the valley and how long it would take for them to get there.

Without pausing in his movements, John smoothly mounted one of the Jumpers and held the reins to the other in his hand. He took off down the road as fast as he could.

Teyla was waiting outside, fully armed, as he approached. Hardly pausing, he held the other Jumper still while Teyla climbed the fence so she could reach the stirrups. Moments later she was seated in the saddle that John had adjusted just for her. Without a word they raced down the road toward Ronon's cabin.

As they came around the curve, they could see Ronon already mounted on his horse. He was talking to two men, and as they approached John could make out the faces of two of the men who were volunteer sentries.

"You guys okay?" John said breathlessly as he and Teyla skidded to a stop.

"We're fine. We had to blow it, though, Sir," one of the men said apologetically.

"Catch anyone underneath?" John asked hopefully, wondering whether Kolya actually had the guts to lead his men into battle or if he let others take the fall for him.

"Sorry," the other said, shaking his head. "Miss Cadman warned us there would be a delay, so we thought it best to close off the route rather than let some through or get caught ourselves."

"You did the right thing," John reassured them. "Now let's see if we can get to town before they do."

O~o~O~o~O

The group rode their horses hard, stopping only to send a message to town from the communications shack and to water the horses. John knew he was pushing the animals to their limits, but they could rest later. He and the others still had a battle to fight

They arrived in Atlantis to find the town much quieter than expected. It appeared that news travelled fast, and with the advance warning they had delivered the townspeople were already hidden away or had taken their positions.

Partway through their ride, John and the others had heard another low rumble. Even Ronon and Teyla had a difficult time pinpointing exactly where it had come from as the sound echoed around the hills. John could only hope that the Lanteans on duty had managed to escape to safety.

John and company quickly watered the horses. Assuming that the Wraith would probably steal any horses in town, Teyla led all of their mounts farther downstream. John patted his horses fondly as they walked away. He hoped he would see them again.

"How are we doing, Major?" he asked Lorne as the shopkeeper approached him in the middle of the main street.

"Everyone is in position and the women and children are as safe as we can make them for the moment. As far as I can tell, you were some of the last to arrive," Lorne reported. "We got both the pigeons and the cable from your end of the valley."

John sighed, trying to fight down the nerves that threatened to overwhelm him. People were relying on him. He needed to give them everything.

"Good. Now, we wait."

O~o~O~o~O

A couple of hours later, the Wraith arrived. There was no tell-tale dust cloud like last time because of the wet weather, but John could feel the vibrations of so many horses' hooves long before sound reached them.

He was almost disappointed that Kolya was so unimaginative as to attack the same way as last time. The Wraith swept into town along the main street, slowing and looking surprised at the lack of chaos and terror in the wake of their arrival.

"You think Ronon would be mad at me if I took the first shot," John muttered to Teyla as both of them lay on their stomachs on the rooftop of the saloon, shotguns aimed at the Wraith below.

"I am not sure he would forgive you," Teyla said, although they both knew that Ronon would just be happy to kill Wraith.

John waited as patiently as he could until the tail end of the column of Wraith entered the far end of town. Everyone was waiting for his signal to attack. He didn't have a good shot at Kolya, who was well-insulated in the middle of the Wraith crowd, but he could wait. John figured picking off any Wraith would be helpful at this point, so he let his first shot be the signal everyone had been waiting for.

In moments, the town erupted into chaos.

TBC

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Up next: The moment you've all been waiting for - John and Kolya face off.


	24. Chapter 24

Despite the fact that John knew the buildings around him were full of people trying to avoid the notice of the Wraith Gang, the town was so silent that he could hear the wind repeatedly banging a gate shut in the distance. The dry autumn wind sent a couple of small tumble weeds skittering across the road between the opposing parties, but John ignored them.

The battle had moved quickly, and soon John and Teyla had joined the street level fighting to prevent the Wraith from entering buildings to pillage or injure the inhabitants. At this point, the Lanteans' strategy was to keep the Wraith corralled in the street. John couldn't help but notice that most of the dead and injured seemed to be Kolya's men and not his. Even Teyla seemed to drop a large number of opponents despite every single one of them being larger than her.

Eventually the Wraith managed to regroup in diminished numbers outside of the schoolhouse. There was an impasse as none of the Lanteans were interested in a full-blown massacre of the men before them. John had stepped forward, and the Wraith had slowly parted as a figure moved to the front.

"Shall we end this like men?" Kolya asked John gleefully.

John snorted. "Why? You're hardly a man."

Kolya said nothing but merely stood before John wearing an expectant grin on his face. He knew the effect his presence had on Sheppard, and he was eager to play with his favorite toy once again. Beside him stood a sturdy man who seemed to keep his eyes mostly on his boss, ready to obey Kolya's command. The rest of the Wraith Gang stood to the side and behind Kolya, also excited and arrogant enough to assume their leader would take out John before he could get a shot off.

For a moment, John felt the familiar fear that Kolya's face brought to his dreams and his waking hours. He struggled not to let it show. His mind drifted to all of the people in Atlantis and Pegasus Valley who had become a part of his life in these past few years. Ronon's silent presence backed up by Amelia's spirit. The ever-steady Evan Lorne. The calm leadership of Elizabeth Weir as she stood watch over the town. Carson Beckett, who managed to heal patients with determination and a heart of gold as much as the use of any medicine. The determination of Sam Carter to match any man, mentally or physically. The feisty defiance of Laura Cadman. The brilliance of Dr. Rodney McKay, PhD, and the inexplicable patience of Jennifer Keller and Radek Zelenka that had made the scientist a better man. Men like Peter Grodin and Chuck Campbell, who kept a quiet watch over their people. And Teyla, her strength and wisdom allowing her a natural leader like no other John had ever seen.

This was his home. These people were his people, and he knew in his heart that they felt the same way about him. Kolya had underestimated this community: He was sure that there were more than a few guns trained on the Wraith Gang leader right now. The Wraith were too arrogant to take a close look around them, content in the belief that they had terrorized another town into submission.

Suddenly, John felt part of the fear drain away to be replaced by resolve. There was a town full of people, not just soldiers but women and children, who he needed to protect. Not because of any requirement, but because they were all in it together. They would do the same for him. His past with Kolya was safely locked in the past, unable to hurt him now. It was here, in the present, that he could finally bring this story to its conclusion.

Without turning his head, John could feel Ronon's solid presence behind his left shoulder. The man was calm and collected as always, and John sought strength from his friend. John couldn't help the small smile that formed on his lips. Right now, only feet away, Rodney McKay and Radek Zelenka were probably scheming ways to help him out. Carson Beckett was either helping to save someone's life or muttering away about 'bloody-minded fools' as he prepared to receive more patients. Lorne probably had a prime seat with a great view through a rifle sight on a rooftop above him. And Teyla … John wasn't sure where she was at the moment, but he prayed that she was safe. More than likely, she was probably on a rooftop opposite Lorne or waiting to berate John for his stupid plans. Her deep brown eyes and soothing voice had done so much to help John regain his life from the monster before him, and he hoped that someday he could find the words to thank her.

Hardly a muscle twitched in the entire town as everyone awaited the outcome with bated breath. John felt himself relax and become hyper-aware of his surroundings. Everything came into sharper focus, every sound registering in his mind. He steadily inhaled and exhaled, waiting for the moment to strike.

Without warning, Kolya's hand flew to his weapon and he quickly unholstered it. But John had seen his movement and was just as quick, his sidearm in his hand in a split second.

A shot rang out.

John watched in fascination as Kolya looked down in surprise at the hole in his chest before looking back up at John. As if in slow motion, he sank to his knees.

John was vaguely aware of Ronon's large gun firing next to him and watched as Kolya's second fell backward into the dust, unmoving, with the gun in his hand remaining unfired. Kolya now had his hand on his chest, slowly lifting it to look at the blood in confusion.

A moment later, Kolya toppled over sideways. No one attempted to catch him.

John could only stand staring, unable to take his eyes off of the man before him as he watched the life pour out of Kolya's body. There was movement around him now as the street once again came alive, but everything remained silent. The eyes of the man, the demon, who had plagued him for so long, were now empty, but John felt no relief that he was finally free.

He stood, unmoving, losing track of time until suddenly a face appeared in front of him. He finally managed to tear his eyes away from the body to meet the worried brown eyes of Teyla. Good, she was safe. Her mouth was moving, but he could not understand what she was saying. His numb fingers did not feel her remove the gun from his grasp.

He gave her a confused look and took a step back in case he was in her way. But he found that his legs could no longer hold him. He felt himself falling backward, but a pair of strong arms caught him and carefully lowered him to a sitting position.

John looked up, surprised to see so many worried faces looking back down at him. He tried to say something, but no words would come.

A roar filled his ears as the chaos around him finally assaulted his senses. He turned to watch as the people of Atlantis corralled the remaining members of the Wraith Gang, who suddenly seemed powerless without their leader. His eyes returned to Kolya's empty ones, just visible behind Teyla.

He turned back to her, surprised that he hadn't noticed her kneel down, or Rodney arrive to stand behind her. His brow crinkled as she reached to open his jacket and her hands came back moments later covered in blood. When had she gotten hurt?

"Teyla," he managed to whisper, before slipping into the sudden tiredness that embraced him.

TBC


	25. Chapter 25

"John, NO!" Teyla shouted as she saw her friend's eyes slide shut. Heedless of any danger that might still be lurking in the streets, she looked up at Ronon in desperation. "We must get him to Carson. Now!"

With a quick nod, Ronon stood up and, with Rodney's help, gently picked up their fallen comrade while Teyla attempted to hold a rag over the wound.

Rodney and Lorne managed to clear a path through the curious citizens who now felt safe enough to come out of hiding. A hush followed them as they moved quickly into Carson's surgery.

"BLOODY HELL!" Carson raged when he saw who his patient was, but he quickly got to work with Jennifer silently assisting him.

"Trust me, the other guy is worse off," Ronon told him, but the doctor found little solace in that. Muttering about soldiers too stupid to stay out of trouble, Carson carefully removed the metal breastplate that Rodney and Radek had made and concentrated on the delicate task of extracting the bullet from John's right shoulder without further injuring his patient and friend. With Sheppard, things were rarely easy.

No longer needing to assist, Teyla stepped back into a corner, unable to do anything else. She felt herself start to shake as she thought back to the fight that had taken place only minutes earlier. She had been stationed to the right of John and Ronon, between the hotel and stables. She could not aim her shotgun without giving away her position, so instead she stood poised for action as she watched the scene played out in front of her.

Teyla had never been more terrified in her life. The Wraith Gang had destroyed her people, Ronon's people, and the lives of countless other communities. Kolya had personally tortured John in the worst ways imaginable, causing physical and mental scars of which John would never be fully rid, simply for the pleasure of causing pain. Now, the two most important men in her life were standing in front of this monster and his gun, with nothing to save them but their own reflexes and the grace of the Ancestors.

She had contemplated shooting Kolya herself and ending this farce, but she feared that bullets would start flying in all directions and even more people would be hurt, especially as John and Ronon had no cover. It was not what they would want to happen. Therefore, she could only watch and wait.

Everything had happened so quickly. She heard the shot, but only later did she realize that both men had fired at exactly the same time.

Out of the corner of her eye, she saw Kolya stop and fall to his knees. His second fell at the sound of Ronon's big gun when he tried to avenge his leader. But her attention was focused on John, and she found that she could not take in a breath. 

She had seen him jerk involuntarily. Her heart in her mouth, she ran toward the Lantean men. John was still on his feet, and a part of her hoped that perhaps the bullet had merely grazed him or hit the body armor. But when she reached him, she could see that something was wrong.

John was focused on Kolya and did not seem to notice that he was injured. She called his name several times until his eyes shifted over to her. He seemed unfocused and confused.

She jumped when she realized that Rodney was now talking to John over her shoulder. She turned toward him for a moment but instantly turned back when she saw a look of horror on his face.

As if in a dream, she could not reach out fast enough to catch John as he fell. Thankfully, Ronon had been standing next to him and seemed to understand something was wrong. He had moved into place behind the man and slowly lowered him to the ground before he could be hurt further.

Teyla did not realize she was holding her breath as she reached for John. He was wearing a black jacket, and it was impossible to tell how badly he was hurt. Then she saw a bullet hole in the shoulder and carefully pulled back the flap of his jacket. A growing stain of red coated his shirt underneath. The shot had hit him in the shoulder only millimeters away from the edge of the alloy breastplate.

Then his eyes closed, her name on his lips.

The rest seemed like a blur as they carried John as quickly as possible to Carson. Since Jennifer was in the surgery helping Carson, Teyla could only stand back instead of focusing her nervous energy on helping John. Now, she stood propped in the corner watching Carson neatly stitch the wound while Jennifer went to check on other patients. His lips moved, but Teyla thought he must be speaking to himself since she heard nothing over the hum in her ears. At one point he looked up at her and seemed to say something, but Teyla could not bring herself to move beyond the numbness that seemed to envelop her.

She jumped when a hand suddenly fell on her shoulder. She looked up to see Ronon's concerned gaze staring down at her.

"Come on," he said. "You should get cleaned up. Sheppard'll be okay."

Teyla looked back down at her unconscious friend. He looked younger when he slept. She could see the rise and fall of his chest, but otherwise he lay motionless. It did not look right for such a vibrant man.

Ronon squeezed her shoulder, reminding her that he was still there. She looked at Carson, surprised that he seemed to be watching her rather than focusing on John. He nodded in agreement with Ronon.

Teyla suddenly felt very tired, unable to fight their decision despite desperately wanting to stay at John's side lest something happen to him. With effort, she pushed away from the wall and walked slowly toward the door.

Carson and Ronon exchanged one last look and Ronon gave the doctor a quick nod as he followed Teyla out the door. He could see why the doctor had called him into the room, saying that Teyla appeared to be in shock. He had arrived moments later to see her in the corner, pale and shaking and barely able to stand. There were streaks of blood on her face and in her hair, and her arms were coated with it. The dress she was wearing was most likely ruined, although Ronon hoped he could distract one of the women in town from the horror of the Wraith attack by scrubbing the dress straight away.

"You stay here and wait for news on Sheppard," Ronon told a worried-looking Rodney, who stood up as he walked in to the front room of the surgery holding Teyla's elbow.

"Is she okay?" the scientist asked in a low voice, so far from the obnoxious behavior he usually displayed. Ronon managed to hold in a snort – Sheppard would be incredulous when he found out McKay had been worried enough to be nice.

"She will be," Ronon said, leading her to the door. Rodney sighed and sat back down in the chair.

TBC


	26. Chapter 26

Teyla was walking on her own but seemed unaware of the activity around her. Ronon quickly led her next door to the saloon.

Sam jumped as the door opened, still skittish after the battle. However, she recovered instantly as she took in the scene. Abandoning the broom she was using to sweep up broken glass, Sam led them upstairs to her rooms.

She quickly gathered some warm water and a cloth, wiping as much of the blood from Teyla's skin as possible while Ronon tried to undo the tiny buttons on the back of Teyla's dress. Sam managed to hold back a smile as Ronon became more and more frustrated with the tiny fastenings.

After some maneuvering, they finally managed to get Teyla's top dress off. Her shift underneath was relatively clean, so Sam quickly wrapped her in a blanket and pulled back the covers on her bed. Without a word, Teyla climbed under the covers and curled up on her side.

Sam left and soon returned with water for Teyla and a glass of whiskey for Ronon. "I'll be downstairs if you need anything," she said. Ronon saluted her with his glass and sat to wait in the room's only chair.

Soon Teyla's shaking stopped as she warmed up and regained her focus. "Ronon?" she murmured, taking in her surroundings for the first time since the showdown.

"Hey," he said roughly, leaning forward and gently turning her head toward him. "How're you feeling?"

"I have felt better," she said, still sounding slightly groggy.

Ronon squeezed the hand that was sticking out from under the covers. Teyla smiled in response and sighed.

"I do not understand what happened," she said, studying their linked hands. "Everything just became a blur."

"You were worried. We all were," he answered.

"I should not have been so weak," she said, shaking her head in disgust.

"Hey, there's no weakness in worrying about those we love," he said. He smiled as Teyla's head snapped up.

"I always thought you and Sheppard would court," he said in explanation.

"Did you?" Teyla said with a slight laugh, studying the covers once more.

Ronon sat back and grinned at the similarity of her answer to Sheppard's. "Well," Ronon said with a mischievous look on his face. "When we were stuck in that cave-in, he might have said your name once or twice in delirium." He had not even shared this information with John, but he figured his friend would forgive him … eventually.

Now that it was all over and that bastard Kolya was dead, Ronon savored the relief and looked forward to the future more than ever.

Teyla still looked drained, so Ronon told her to rest for a bit while he went to collect a new dress from the hotel. Of course, it wouldn't hurt to check on things while he was there.

O~o~O~o~O

Entering the hotel a few minutes later, he found Amelia also sweeping up broken glass. There must not be a single unbroken window left in this town, he thought.

Ronon and Amelia stared at each other for a moment before he moved over to her and embraced her.

"You okay?" he asked quietly. She nodded, obviously shaken but unwilling to give in to her fear.

During the course of the day's raid, it had quickly become clear that whoever owned the high ground would rule the day. The hotel and the saloon were the only two-storey buildings in Atlantis, giving an advantage to anyone stationed at an upper-floor window. Although neither had been military, Chuck and Amelia had held the hotel against all comers, feeling themselves gate-keepers against any challenges to Atlantis' people.

After barricading the doors, they simply sat with shotguns, picking off any Wraith who tried to get in. Finally a couple of local men had gotten their attention at the back door and had come in to start sniping from the upstairs windows. Ronon knew that move had helped to tip the balance of the battle.

Chuck had since left to go over to the bank. A small group of women and children who had been working in the fields outside of town had managed to return only moments ahead of the Wraith Gang. Knowing they needed shelter, an enterprising Peter Grodin had promptly ushered them into the bank, and together they had locked themselves into the vault for protection. It was an ingenious strategy that had doubtless saved lives, and now Chuck was on his way to release them.

Amelia sighed, comfortable in the embrace but aware that much still needed to be done. "How is the Colonel?" she asked.

Ronon's shoulders slumped slightly as the reality of the showdown sunk in. "Doc says he'll live. I need to get another dress for Teyla, though."

Amelia nodded, turning back to business. Knowing that Teyla only had one dress in town with her, she quickly strode into her own rooms and grabbed an old dress from the closet. "Here," she said, handing it to Ronon who looked on somewhat confused. "It might be a bit big on her, but it should work well enough. I'll come with you to get Teyla's other dress; someone should wash it before the blood dries."

Nodding his thanks, Ronon took the garment and quickly strode back to the saloon with Amelia. When they reached the top of the stairs, they found Teyla sitting up in bed talking to Sam. A couple more empty whisky glasses sat on the bedside table.

Following Ronon's gaze, Sam shrugged. "I thought we all could use a drink."

He couldn't help but snort at the understatement. He and Sheppard had come within an angel's breath of meeting the Ancestors today. That should be worth at least a bottle.

Amelia hugged both women, thankful for everyone's survival, and then quickly left with Teyla's blood-soaked dress.

Sam excused herself to go back downstairs. As he watched her go, Ronon thought about the women in Pegasus Valley. He had been East a couple of times and seen women who would faint at a bit of gossip or the slightest impropriety of manner, and who were absolutely useless at anything other than ordering around servants. How some people could stand to be so helpless, he didn't know. They would never survive in Atlantis, where the women fought beside the men and then helped to pick up the pieces afterward.

He turned back as he felt Teyla pluck the now-somewhat wrinkled dress from his grasp. Minutes later, they headed back over to Carson's surgery to check on Sheppard.

O~o~O~o~O

Sounds filtered through into John Sheppard's consciousness – the squeaking of a chair as someone shifted, the scraping of a pencil on paper, a soft sigh nearby. Nothing screamed that he was in danger, so he slept on.

O~o~O~o~O

Eventually he did awaken. A hazy, languid feeling suggested morphine, but at the moment he didn't care. A motion caught his eye. Teyla was closing the curtains as the last slanted rays of the sunshine shone though the window. John didn't like the thought of the day ending, being cut off from the light that filled the darkness.

"Leave it," he rasped, his quiet whisper catching the attention of both Teyla and the person who was fidgeting on the chair next to his bed. "'s nice."

Teyla came back to sit beside him, taking his hand to show her pleasure that he was finally awake. "If you are sure that the light is not in your eyes."

"Don't care," he slurred as he watched the deep orange and pink rays light up one side of her face and make her hair shine. "'s pretty, like you."

The derisive snort beside him told him that Rodney was sitting there. He finally focused on Teyla enough to see her shoot a look at Rodney before turning to him with a radiant smile. Later he would blame the morphine for his words, but he never regretted making Teyla smile.

TBC


	27. Epilogue

It was a beautiful autumn day when everyone gathered at Ronon's place for supper after a long day of harvesting. John had recovered from his gunshot wound quickly, thanks to Carson's skill and the help of his friends. However, he was not yet back to full strength. Ronon watched his friend throughout the day, silently taking on any heavy lifting that needed to be done. Both pretended not to notice the other's actions. It was easy to distract others from their manly battle for power because of Rodney's constant whining about doing farmwork and the snarky retorts that from nearly everyone. Rodney's comments led to the scientists of the group discussing labor-saving machines they could build to speed up future harvests.

As they struggled to salvage their livelihoods in the wake of the Wraith attack on Pegasus Valley, the community had moved as one throughout the area, helping the inhabitants to harvest in a couple of days what might have taken one person weeks. Although the Wraith Gang had caused a significant amount of devastation, the people of Pegasus Valley had managed to reap more than enough to see them through the following winter and spring, and the community was all the stronger for it. As Elizabeth put it, they were 'facing their future together.'

Looking out over the freshly mown fields, with the laughter of his friends in the background, John felt a moment's pity for Kolya. The man had ruled using terror and intimidation. He hadn't understood that relationships were built upon trust and compassion, or known what it was like to be surrounded by people who cared. In the end, that had led to Kolya's downfall.

The moment quickly passed as John acknowledged that whatever Kolya's past, the man had made a conscious decision to pursue a life of pain and violence. It was too bad that there were good people who would forever bear the scars of Kolya's actions, but at least now they had the future to look forward to. He knew he did, and felt the contentment he had spent so long seeking finally settle over him. He was home, among friends, among family.

On a whim, John collected Jumper Two from where he had been munching grass outside Ronon's cabin after a long day of work. He quickly climbed on bareback and rode back to where the rest of the group sat in the fading light. John smiled as he said his good-night's to the group. There was one more reason, perhaps the most important one of all, that he felt happier than ever before.

Without a word, he smiled down at Teyla and extended a hand. Strong as she was, she needed a boost up, and Ronon stepped forward to help, not trying very hard to hide his smirk.

With her arms firmly around John's waist, they wished the group one final farewell before turning toward their homes, riding into a spectacular display of pinks and oranges to the west.

Rodney watched them go, knowing perfectly well that they would only stop at one cabin tonight. He was happy for his friends, but he couldn't help but feel slightly inadequate as the tall, handsome hero and the beautiful heroine rode away together. It was just like the ending to one of those serials that ran in the ladies' magazines.

"You've got to be kidding me," he muttered, as John and Teyla rode off into the sunset.

FIN

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I do not regret this ending in the least.


End file.
